2011 Patient Safety Award Winner Announced!

During Chatham-Kent Health Alliance’s (CKHA) celebration of National Patient Safety Week, the Quality/Risk and Patient Safety Council presents an annual Patient Safety Award to an individual or team who made a significant contribution to patient safety in the past year. At a ceremony held in the cafeteria of the Chatham Campus, I was privileged to be able to present this year’s Patient Safety Award.

It’s worth mentioning the folks that were nominated, as to be nominated is an honour itself. This year the nominees were Leah Praill, Housekeeping, for environmental audits for high touch areas and the Pharmacy Department for reducing errors by using a standardized medication dispensing system.

The winner of the award was the Safe Medication Team, led by Clinical Pharmacist Leader Gary Deroo; the team consists of Pharmacy Team members, front-line nursing staff and Nursing Leaders.

Through the work of our Safe Medication Team, CKHA has become a safer place for our patients. They have implemented many steps to ensure the right medication, and the right dose reaches the right patient at the right time.


They have developed strategies to improve safety regarding High Alert Medications, Look Alike/Sound Alike Medications, and Independent Double Checks.


In addition, the Safe Medication Team developed strategies to communicate these safety enhancements to staff working around the clock, through CKHA’s new staff orientation, eLearning program, clinical refreshers and poster boards.

Congratulations Safe Medication Team!!!