Patient Experience Rounds (PER): Real-time feedback to improve the patient experience and quality of care

While patient feedback is critical to improving the patient experience and clinical care, we are currently limited in our ability to collect feedback in real-time from hospitalized patients. This paper describes our experience and outcomes implementing Patient Experience Rounds (PER). Our model uses trained former patients or family members as volunteers to collect feedback in real-time. Through this feedback, we were able to identify areas for improvement, make adjustments in the moment, and provide targeted feedback to providers. A total of 321 patient encounters were recorded by eight PER advisors. Nursing staff received the highest percentage of positive comments. 49% of patients offered a special mention to recognize a staff member. 33% of patients offered a comment in response to the question, “What is one thing that would improve your experience.” In 16% of encounters, the advisor identified an issue or concern that required near-term follow up. This work has the potential to improve the patient experience and may be beneficial to hospitals seeking novel methods for rapidly improving the patient experience. Experience Framework This article is associated with the Patient, Family & Community Engagement lens of The Beryl Institute Experience Framework. (http://bit.ly/ExperienceFramework) Access other PXJ articles related to this lens. Access other resources related to this lens

African-Caribbean cancer consortium for the study of viral, genetic and environmental cancer risk factors

This is a short summary of a meeting of the "African-Caribbean Cancer Consortium", jointly organized by the University of Pittsburgh, Department of Epidemiology and the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, held in Montego Bay, Jamaica as a satellite meeting at the Caribbean Health Research Council, 52nd Annual Council and Scientific meeting on May 4, 2007

Finishing the euchromatic sequence of the human genome

The sequence of the human genome encodes the genetic instructions for human physiology, as well as rich information about human evolution. In 2001, the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium reported a draft sequence of the euchromatic portion of the human genome. Since then, the international collaboration has worked to convert this draft into a genome sequence with high accuracy and nearly complete coverage. Here, we report the result of this finishing process. The current genome sequence (Build 35) contains 2.85 billion nucleotides interrupted by only 341 gaps. It covers ∼99% of the euchromatic genome and is accurate to an error rate of ∼1 event per 100,000 bases. Many of the remaining euchromatic gaps are associated with segmental duplications and will require focused work with new methods. The near-complete sequence, the first for a vertebrate, greatly improves the precision of biological analyses of the human genome including studies of gene number, birth and death. Notably, the human enome seems to encode only 20,000-25,000 protein-coding genes. The genome sequence reported here should serve as a firm foundation for biomedical research in the decades ahead

Lydia Bunker letter to Thomas Rotch, Nantucket, January 19th 1798

Lydia Bunker writes to Thomas Rotch regarding her son's belongings which she wishes to have shipped to Nantucket. 5" x 7.6" (12.8 by 19.6 cm

William Rotch, Jr. bills payable, 1789-1798

Lydia Bunker asks that Mark Coffin be paid seventeen pounds nine shillings lawful money and "charge to acct of thy Friend, Lydia Bunker." 9" x 3.05

Lydia Bunker letter to Thomas Rotch, Nantucket, January 24, 1798

Lydia Bunker accepts the terms of Rotch's offer of $100 that she requests because of her family's poverty. There is no indication however that Rotch sent the money, but it is likely that he did.We also do not know the context of the letter and Lydia Bunker's son's demise. 5.75" x 7.75" (14.5 by 19.5 cm