FORT JOHNSON, La.  –   Bayne-Jones Army Community Hospital celebrates Patient Safety Awareness Week Mar. 10-18, at the Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Johnson, Louisiana.

BJACH has no higher priority than the safety of their patients said Col. Alisa Wilma, hospital commander.

“One of the simplest ways we can promote safety from the top down and every day is to rapidly acknowledge safety concerns that are raised and act on them,” she said. “Every concern raised is taken seriously and evaluated. We don’t move forward without ensuring that everyone is safe.”

Wilma said the BJACH staff is committed to patient safety.

“We are a safety minded organization,” she said. “By spending a week highlighting and focusing on the importance of keeping patient safety at the forefront of everything we do, we give everyone a chance to focus on those aspects of safety that are specific to the patient.”

Alicia Jernigan is a registered nurse and the patient safety manager for BJACH.

Jernigan said patient safety is important to everyone at BJACH.

“Patient safety is prevention of patient harm, through the identification and control of hazards, and the action undertaken to protect our patients,” she said. “Our goal is to prevent harm and provide a safer environment for Soldiers, Families and beneficiaries at Fort Johnson.”

Jernigan said to raise awareness throughout the week, she and the quality management division created a week’s worth of activities, contests, and prizes ranging from crossword puzzles, word searches, costumes, and an escape room to engage BJACH Soldiers and staff on patient safety related topics.

“Our goal for this week is to remind staff that patient safety is our top priority,” she said. “We want to encourage them to speak up if they see or know something isn’t safe or right.”

Ria Moore, The Joint Commission Coordinator for BJACH said it is important to highlight patient safety every day of the year.

“We want everyone who works in our facility, from the housekeepers to the hospital commander, to know they are vital part of patient safety,” she said. “Everyone who works here can all help improve processes and change policy as needed to make BJACH a better facility for our patients and our staff.”

Moore said patient safety is how we live up to our motto: We Provide the Best

“We work extremely hard to provide the best for our patients,” she said. “Patient safety is all about being comfortable with saying no when an unsafe condition presents itself, recognizing when something is wrong, and speaking up after an unsafe incident occurs.”

Moore said she is committed to patient safety.

“Patient safety is important because when we do the right thing, at the right time, and the right way, we are ensuring we are providing safe quality care for our patients,” she said.

Moore said The Joint Commission, BJACH’s accrediting body, is focused on the National Patient Safety Goals through their Speak Up Campaign.

“The goal of the campaign is to help patients and their advocates become more active in their care,” she said.

Wilma encouraged all members of the BJACH team to participate in patient safety awareness week activities to improve patient safety through education and empowerment.

“We are focused on providing quality care for patients while keeping them safe and free from harm,” she said. “We recognize health care professionals, non-clinical staff, patients and families all have a role to play in health care safety.”