The MHA Keystone Center honored Munson Healthcare Manistee Hospital’s Erin Warman with the quarterly MHA Keystone Center Speak-up! Award July 10.
.jpg)
The award acknowledges individuals or teams in MHA Keystone Center Patient Safety Organization (PSO) member hospitals who raise concerns about healthcare quality and safety and prevent potential harm to patients or staff.
Warman, a medical assistant working in Manistee Hospital’s provider offices, received the award for her persistence and dedication to speaking up on behalf of a patient. Warman identified a delay in medical treatment by family to a homebound patient and voiced her concerns to colleagues, senior leadership and the patient’s family.
“I simply did the right thing and spoke up for the best interests of my patient and the patient’s safety,” said Warman. “I felt comfortable speaking up because of our safety culture, and I’m happy that we avoided any harm to our patient.”
Safety is a key focus area for Munson Healthcare’s True North Goals and a core value for the system. Munson Healthcare has implemented several initiatives to promote a culture of safety and willingness to speak up at its facilities. All staff undergo “Foundations of Safety Culture” training, important safety stories are shared regularly across the system, a robust reporting system captures safety events and near misses, and staff are encouraged to practice key safety behaviors in all situations. Manistee Hospital presents a Speak-up! Award to a staff member each quarter, and recipients are nominated for the state award.
“We are thrilled to have Erin and our safety culture recognized through the statewide MHA Keystone Center Speak-up! Award,” said Munson Healthcare Manistee Hospital CEO James Barker. “At Manistee Hospital, we aim to create a culture of safety by empowering all staff, at all levels of the organization, to speak up to protect our patients. This honor also represents the hundreds of healthcare staff who come to work every day to improve the health and wellness of our patients and our community.”
The Speak-up! Award was created in 2016 and has honored nearly 20 employees of Michigan hospitals to date. The award is presented quarterly, with one quarterly awardee recognized as an annual Speak-up! Award recipient.
“It is one thing to talk about what a safety culture is and how to improve safety, but the MHA Keystone Center Speak-up! Award celebrates the actions that have been taken to prevent potential harm,” said MHA CEO Brian Peters. “We applaud the safety culture created at Munson Healthcare Manistee Hospital and are thrilled to recognize Erin for doing the right thing and speaking up.”
Additional award finalists for the second quarter of 2020 include:
- Erin Switzer, McLaren Greater Lansing, Lansing
- Patricia Soper, McLaren Northern, Petoskey
- Mike Always, Beaumont Hospital, Grosse Pointe
- Leslie Muyskins, Spectrum Health Zeeland Community Hospital
Specifics on the MHA Keystone Center Speak-up! Award, including criteria and a nomination form, are available online. For more information, contact the MHA Keystone Center PSO.
Manistee Hospital is a 45-bed acute care hospital and is part of the Munson Healthcare system. The hospital provides high-quality medical care and advanced diagnostic services to residents of Manistee County and surrounding communities. Founded in 1970, Manistee Hospital is known for its early adoption of emerging diagnostic technology and its friendly staff.