Those of you who attended Health Journalism 2008 may remember actor Dennis Quaid’s appearance at the event, telling the harrowing tale of the heparin overdoses that almost killed his infant twins.
Quaid continues his crusade against medical errors with a documentary that will debut April 22 (and airs on the Discovery Channel on April 24) and co-authoring an article in the Journal of Patient Safety.
The article, which focuses on the use of anecdotes and storytelling to improve patient safety, is not typical journal fare. It’s equal parts how-to manual, anecdotes and sermon, and Quaid’s commitment comes across forcefully.
As you finish reading this narrative and return to your life in health care, we challenge you to think about your own story. If every story has a hero, a victim, a villain, a crisis, and a resolution, we want you to see yourself as a hero. It is time to write your own story. Turn that light into heat and focus it on your villain: the villain that protects the status quo, the way we have always done things. A best friend of this villain is survival-centered, blind cost-cutting that drives enormous safety risk and harm to patients.
Quaid spoke about the topic yesterday at a National Press Club luncheon (video), where he also announced that his nonprofit Quaid Foundation has merged with the Texas Medical Institute of Technology.
