NEWS RELEASE

CRG MEDICAL FOUNDATION FOR PATIENT SAFETY

6800 West Loop South, Suite 190
Bellaire, Texas, 77401
Website: www.communityofcompetence.com

CONTACT: Elizabeth Smith, Ph.D.

Telephone: 832-778-7777
Fax: 281-920-1118
Email: esmith@crgmedical.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Houston-based Foundation for Patient Safety Launches New Research and

Educational Initiatives in Patient Safety at New Office in Bellaire

(Bellaire—December 6, 2005) CRG Medical Foundation for Patient Safety, formed in 2003 as an active,

nonprofit 501(c)(3) learning organization dedicated to building a culture of patient safety, has relocated to an

expanded office space in Bellaire, closer to the Texas Medical Center. The Foundation’s mission is to promote,

support and translate research into practice relevant to improving patient safety and healthcare quality.

CRG Medical Foundation for Patient Safety is recognized as a leader in the research of patient safety,

particularly in the study of medical errors. Annually, more than 98,000 patients in the U.S. die from medical

mistakes that occur in our hospitals and clinics. The majority of these mistakes, such as medication administration

error and infections acquired during hospitalization are preventable! One primary research aim of the Foundation is

to gather information about these errors in healthcare facilities, as well as the “close calls”—events that could have

resulted in harm to the patient.

As a leader to promote patient safety and quality healthcare, the Foundation is actively involved in number

of research projects. Currently, the Foundation is collaborating with national leaders and governmental agencies to

set up the U.S. National Registry for Unused and Expired Medications. “No one knows the magnitude of unwanted

prescription and over-the-counter drugs, yet we continue to stockpile them in our medicine cabinets and drawers

and create a major patient safety problem”, according to Matthew Mireles, Ph.D., M.P.H., Vice President. The

research conducted by the Foundation will help better understand what medications are not used and, equally

important, why they are not used. Unused and expired medications contribute to nonintentional poisoning among

children and wrong medication use by the elderly. The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) is concerned about illegal

drug diversion from the home to the streets, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been involved as
partner to study the effects of discarded unused drugs into the water supply. Unfortunately, there is no system in

Texas and most states to take back unused drugs and safely dispose of them. The Foundation is working with

other researchers in the State of Maine to propose a return-drug and safe-disposal program that will serve as a

model for the rest of the country.

Another research area for patient safety is the study of the accuracy of medical diagnosis. CRG Medical

Foundation is conducting a clinical study of hand functionality among diagnosed cases of carpal tunnel syndrome

(CTS) and fibromyalgia. CTS, a repetitive motion trauma to the hand and wrist, has a high probability of

misdiagnosis based on the standard medical tests. Corrective surgery is usually indicated for CTS, but there is not

a wealth of information of the efficacy of the surgical options based on recovery of hand functions. The Foundation

will collect data on motor and sensory functions of the injured hand to build a databank using a recently approved

FDA medical device, so that a better diagnosis of CTS can be made quickly, painlessly and accurately. The same

method will be applied to a study of fibromyalgia and other hand-wrist disorders.

CRG Medical Foundation has a partnership with Texas A&M University Rural and Community Health

Institute to design and implement a pilot study called “PatientSpeak” to capture the patient’s most recent

experiences at the hospital, clinic or other healthcare facilities. PatientSpeak is reporting system dedicated to the

patients and their families. Patients may submit their stories by completing a form that will be available at the

doctor’s office or call in to a center and talk to an patient safety operator. This program, for now, will be available

only at a number of rural hospitals participating in the pilot study.

The adage that everyone will eventually become a patient is a fundamental premise for the Foundation’s

educational programs and outreach. It is important to include patients and their families in medical decision and

care. Therefore, basic information about patient safety is necessary and should be accessible to the public. The

Foundation provides several tools to help patients and families improve their own safety. The Patient Safety

Checklist helps individuals prepare for upcoming medical appointments. My Medical Journal consolidates

important medical information and history into one place. The Safe Medication Log can help monitor current

medications and reduce errors from duplication of drugs and prescription error between the doctor and pharmacist.

Soon, an online drug monitoring program for patients will be launched.

Committed to the advocacy of patient safety and empowerment, CRG Medical Foundation has presented at

community gatherings, business meetings and research seminars in Houston on a wide range of topics in patient

safety. The key message is “we have the best and most expensive healthcare system on the planet, but we also
are making mistakes that harm our patients”. Patients must become more responsible and engaged in their

medical care.

CRG Medical Foundation operates on the philosophy of building a Community of Competence™, a

trademarked organizational concept developed by Elizabeth Smith, Executive Director. Given the enormity,

complexity and cost of our healthcare safety problem, a community of competent people and experts must be

created to study the problem and find solutions. The Foundation is applying this philosophy and idea to all of its

programs and projects relevant to reducing and preventing the occurrence of medical errors and improving patient

safety. Already, under the Community of Competence™, communities of nurses, partners, educators, and

volunteers have been developed. At the very heart of all the communities is the patient.

Previously located at an office on JFK Boulevard near George H. Bush International Airport, CRG Medical

Foundation is now located on the major west corridor to the Texas Medical Center, off West 610 Loop and

Holcombe Boulevard. This new office has become a active center for research and community education and

outreach in the Bellaire and West Houston area. On Wednesday, December 14, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., the

Foundation will host an open house to the public. Everyone is invited to CRG Medical Foundation for Patient

Safety, 6800 West Loop South, Suite 190, Bellaire, Texas, 77401.