Want more insights on all things content?
Sign up for WG Content’s newsletter, Content Counts.
When you write about patient safety as a healthcare organization, you share good news. You write about your efforts to prevent harm and save lives. But isn’t safety kind of… boring? Not when you showcase it with creativity and flair. Sharing patient safety stories is a great way to build trust. It shows that you’re serious about protecting everyone’s well-being.
The benefits of sharing patient safety stories
Hospitals nationwide are finding ways to share the safety message. They use websites, press releases, social media, videos, blogs and even songs (more on that later).
Sharing stories about safety can:
- Strengthen your organization’s brand.
- Communicate real-life tales about how employees promote safety.
- Promote new safety initiatives.
- Educate families and patients about their role in healthcare safety.
- Announce safety-related awards and recognitions your organization has received.
6 examples of inspiring patient safety stories
These stories highlighting patient safety may inspire you to feature this topic in your marketing.
1. Go behind the scenes
What is your hospital doing to stop medical errors? How do they address mistakes and protect patients from harm?
Let patients know. Show them a video-based safety story like this one from UC Davis Health in California.
The video focuses on how daily huddles help UC Davis Medical Center:
- Identify patient safety risks.
- Promote open communication about safety.
- Keep teams accountable when addressing patient safety concerns.
- Support employees who focus on safety.
The video tells this patient safety story in a way that the written word couldn’t capture.
Pulling back the curtain to tell a story about safety isn’t always pretty. Twenty years ago, two accidental deaths at Johns Hopkins led to a moment of reckoning.
As a result, Johns Hopkins began treating safety like a science. It collected data to find, test and use system improvements.
Today, hospitals worldwide have adopted Johns Hopkins safety programs and metrics. Telling the story takes courage, which enhances an organization’s credibility and reputation.
2. Recognize employees who promote safety
Human error is at the heart of many safety events. The difference between a tragedy and a non-event can come down to small, daily decisions.
And people who feel empowered to flag safety concerns make these decisions. Who are those people in your organization?
NYU Langone Health in New York shares an example of its peer coaching program. The program puts safety coaches on the front lines.
These coaches ensure safer medical and surgical care.
This article is effective because it:
- Features an example of how a pharmacist recognized a prescription error and addressed it (at 4:30 a.m., no less)
- Highlights the organization’s “core expectations” for safety
- Talks about the impact of peer coaching on patient outcomes
A similar initiative at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center in Ohio gets its due in this video. In it, two nurses, a guard and an assistant share stories about their work as “safety coaches.”
The video shows that safety is a top concern for employees.
3. Make it timely
Patient safety often grabs headlines when it leads to preventable deaths, surgical errors or lawsuits. Today’s media landscape may make it hard to find an audience for feel-good articles about hospital safety.
Cut through the static with newsworthy safety stories when:
- Your organization wins a safety award.
- A hospital leader speaks at a safety conference or publishes on the topic.
- Your hospital recognizes National Patient Safety Awareness Week with special events or initiatives.
Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia used this strategy after winning a patient safety award. The hospital embedded a video of the award announcement in the press release on its website.
In Spring 2024, Mercy Hospital Ada in Oklahoma earned an “A” grade from The Leapfrog Group. Leapfrog rates hospitals based on their prevention of medical errors and patient harm.
The hospital announced this achievement on its website, explaining what the grade means. A Leapfrog grade might not make front-page news, but they’re worth a little real estate on your website.
National Patient Safety Awareness Week provides another chance to share patient safety stories. Sponsored by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, this week happens every March.
It’s a chance to show off your hospital’s work to promote patient safety. You can do this with articles, blog posts and videos.
Nicklaus Children’s Hospital in Florida devoted an entire webpage to the theme of patient safety, complete with:
- Word searches and crossword puzzles
- Children’s games
- Family and staff resources
- A Zoom/Teams background
- A fall prevention infographic
- On-demand webinars
The hospital also created a video featuring one of its patients. In the video, Maddie walks you through the hospital’s safety rules. This personal touch reassures families and shows a commitment to patient safety.
4. Emphasize education
Patients and families often don’t realize their vital role in ensuring safety. It’s essential they speak up when a concern arises or something doesn’t feel right.
Unfortunately, many people find healthcare settings intimidating. So, they may hesitate to question a provider.
University of Michigan Health recognizes this and devotes several pages of its Health Library to patient safety.
The content covers topics such as:
- What are medical errors?
- How you can prevent medical errors
- Preventing errors during surgery
- Preventing errors in the hospital
These resources are a reminder to never take patient safety for granted. And they might save someone’s life.
5. Use several platforms to spread the word
Nationwide Children’s, in Ohio, uses its Zero Hero program to help end preventable patient harm.
The hospital promoted its efforts on its website and YouTube channel. It also highlighted them in an article from the Children’s Hospital Association.
The article includes compelling statistics about Zero Hero’s success. For example, the program resulted in a 50% drop in all patient harm events.
6. Say it with humor… if you dare
Safety is no laughing matter. But nurses dancing to the Men in Hats hit “Safety Dance” — now, that is funny. While this video is a few years old now, it’s still an epic performance from Children’s Mercy Hospital and Clinics in Kansas.
It gives handwashing and needle safety the complete music video treatment. As one person remarked in the comments section, “I’m officially on the weird, weird side of YouTube.”
I bet they never forget the safe sneezing demo.
Make patient safety stories a priority
Helping your organization build its reputation for safety is a priority. And you don’t need to be boring about it.
Remember: a little creativity can go a long way, whether you’re touting an award-winning program or putting on your safety dance shoes.
Get a content partner for all seasons
The WG Content team can tackle many marketing projects for your marketing and communications team, including patient safety stories. Drop us a line anytime to learn more.
More tips about patient safety stories
