Quality & Patient Safety

As part of our ongoing commitment to patient safety, Virginia Mason Franciscan Health has set an overarching organizational goal: ensuring your safety by eliminating avoidable death and injury. In order to achieve the best clinical outcomes, we strive to maintain the safest possible environment for you, our patients and families.

Virginia Mason Franciscan Health implements evidence-based practice improvements in 12 clinical areas proven to dramatically improve safety in hospitals. These practices include those recommended by The Institute for Healthcare Improvement through its 5 Million Lives Campaign, as well as additional practices proven to have a dramatic impact on enhancing patient safety.

To achieve the goal of eliminating avoidable death and injury, all Virginia Mason Franciscan Health staff are called to be "safety inspectors”—empowered to call attention to potential sources of mistakes, without fear of blame or retaliation.

With an eye toward eliminating hospital-acquired infections, particularly Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Virginia Mason Franciscan Health follows rigorous and closely monitored infection control protocols.

All Virginia Mason Franciscan Health employees are provided with mistake-proofing training. This training helps every staff member in their individual efforts to achieve defect-free care.

Communication tools and methods are constantly evaluated and improved to help make the work culture of Virginia Mason Franciscan Health truly a culture of safety—for staff as well as patients.

Virginia Mason Franciscan Health also provides qualified medical interpreters if you or your family member has limited English proficiency or is hearing impaired.

Just as all 5,000 Virginia Mason Franciscan Health staff members are considered "safety inspectors"—on the lookout for potential medical errors before they occur—Virginia Mason Franciscan Health is asking you to be a safety inspector for your own care.

You’re encouraged to contact the Virginia Mason Franciscan Health Patient Relations department with any concerns about care, safety or quality, at 206-223-6616.

If your concerns aren’t resolved, you may submit a complaint online to The Joint Commission or write to The Joint Commission, One Renaissance Boulevard, Oakbrook Terrace IL 60181.

The following outline ways you and your family members can help promote your safety while under care at Virginia Mason Franciscan Health:

• Patient Rights and Responsibilities

Additional links:

• Benaroya Research Institute
  
• Virginia Mason Institute
  
• Virginia Mason Production System
  
• VMPS Success Stories
  
• Independent Quality Reports
  
• Patient Satisfaction