4 0 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 7
• Whistle stop.
Everyone stops when
the whistle blows in the
OR at the Surgery
Center of Key West
(Fla.). It's a shrill and
impossible-to-miss
signal that time out is
being called, and every-
one needs to focus on
one thing and one thing
only: making sure they get every detail right. The man with the
whistle is gastroenterologist Dan Michael Jones, MD, who's
helped lead the charge for patient safety for many years, says
administrator Tara Cormack, RN, CNOR. Their time out takes on
even greater importance, she notes, because site-marking isn't
always possible in a GI facility. When they hear the whistle,
"everyone's attention is redirected while the doctor performs the
time out," she says.
• Above and beyond. Following all standards and regulations is
important, says Laura Dewar, RN, BSN, but "it's what we do that
goes beyond safety standards that makes Elliot exceptional."
Elliot is the Elliot 1 Day Surgery Center in Manchester, N.H.,
where "from the moment patients walk into our smoke-free,
weapon-free building to the time they are discharged, our staff
works meticulously to maintain safety," says Ms. Dewar. Among
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Every Detail Matters
When it Comes to Keeping Patients Safe
• LISTEN UP! When it's time out at the Surgery Center of Key West (Fla.),
Dan Michael Jones, MD, makes sure he has everyone's undivided attention.
Tara
Cormack,
RN,
CNOR
