​​The staff at UPMC St. Margaret Harmar Outpatient Center has made outstanding contributions to patient safety and shown commitment to excellence in ambulatory care. One of their key initiatives involved improving preoperative and postoperative calls to manage patient nausea and vomiting effectively. They discuss patient history during preoperative calls, administer medications in the perioperative setting, review discharge instructions thoroughly, and emphasize follow-up phone calls for postoperative recovery. 

The team implemented a dedicated cellphone for patient communication, which has improved preoperative and postoperative contact rates. Through this initiative, the clinician texts the patients prior to calling, allowing the patient to recognize the number so that they answer the call.

They have also prioritized pain reassessment management. Active collaboration with anesthesia providers ensures that pain medication aligns with patient pain scores, providing tailored pain management. Addressing issues within the prebuilt power plan has led to overall improvements in documentation and compliance processes.

In pediatric patient care, staff have successfully increased to 100 pediatric orthopedic cases with no admissions, transfers, or infections reported for age groups 0–17

 

The team continues to work on improving outreach and education, with new discharge instructions introduced earlier in the year which have received positive feedback. Operational improvements are also underway, including the installation of new tracking boards and the development of a form for support persons.

Their dedication to patient safety and continuous improvement is evident through their innovative initiatives and collaborative efforts. Their focus on effective pain management, regulatory compliance, and enhanced communication has significantly advanced surgical safety and patient care.