On Monday, the Department of Public Health held a public hearing in Springfield on the proposed amendments implementing certain provisions of chapter 305. Consumer Health Quality Council member John McCormack gave testimony on behalf of the Consumer Council regarding how Chapter 305 can advance patient safety and health care quality for all Massachusetts health care consumers.
John’s story was one of four consumer stories released earlier this month at our Quality Care Saves Lives event at the State House. You can view the story of John’s daughter Taylor above, and see other videos at www.hcfama.org/quality/stories. Introducing himself at the public hearing as a father and an advocate for patients’ rights in hospitals, and speaking about the proposed Patient Rapid Response Methods (PRRMs), John said “I believe that had such a system been in place when Taylor was in the hospital, she would still be alive today.”
Urging hospitals to do their utmost to educate patients and family about how and when to active the rapid response method, John also asked that there be a requirement that hospitals report to DPH on the use of PPRMs by patients, family and staff so that DPH and hospitals can assess how and when they are activated and how successful they are at preventing further deterioration in patients’ health.
John and members of the Consumer Council advocated for Chapter 305 and have offered to DPH and others to serve as a resource as these regulations are implemented.
Kuong Ly
