Avoiding Injuries to Patients

At UPMC, we are committed to working continually to eliminate or reduce the risk of preventable harm to our patients. We take a proactive approach across our health system that focuses on creating safer procedures and environments for you and all patients.

Here are five practical ways we are working to make your care more reliable and safe:

• A three-phase pre-procedure safety checklist is used in every UPMC operating room, including outpatient surgical centers.
• Medication safety measures help ensure that you receive the right medicines in the right dose, in the right form, and at the right time.
• A falls prevention program involves careful screening and monitoring of every patient at risk for falls, and implementing special safety measures, when needed.
• Standardized infection control measures help prevent and control the spread of hospital associated infections.
• A patient blood management program uses a patient-centered team approach to avoid or minimize blood transfusions.