World Patient Safety Day Advocacy Opportunity

September 17 is World Patient Safety Day, and for those looking to get involved, here are a few ways to help support legislation impacting patient safety.

There are two simple things you can do to help:

1. Post on social media – sample posts are provided below.
2. Reach out to your Congressperson – email is provided below.

SOCIAL MEDIA

• Facts are facts, patients can be harmed by large extravasations - https://bit.ly/threefacts. This #WorldPatientSafetyDay we ask @SNM_MI @NRCgov to take #PatientSafety into account and support reporting. @pfps_us @EnergyCommerce @cathymcmorris @FrankPallone
• Sept 17 is @WHO #WorldPatientSafety Day and patients like @PamLKohl know extravasation is a serious safety issue because she was extravasated during a routine scan. Watch her story https://bit.ly/PamK and get involved today! @NPatientSafetyB @pfps_us
• Shocking fact: Patients with large extravasations may have more radiation exposure to their tissue than nuclear power plant workers! Why does @NRCgov continue to allow these medical errors to be hidden? On this @WHO #WorldPatientSafetyDay we urge you to stand up for patient safety. @NPatientSafetyB @pfps_us

EMAIL TO CONGRESS

World Patient Safety Day on September 17th will bring advocates to Washington, DC, calling for higher standards in patient safety. This is an opportune moment for you to be a champion to patients and affirm your commitment to patient safety by cosponsoring HR 6815, The Nuclear Medicine Clarification Act. This bill seeks to ensure that extravasations are reported and managed as any other medical event - https://bit.ly/HR6815. 

Due to a regulatory loophole, providers do not need to report when a mis-administered injection – or extravasation – results in radioactive material being inadvertently injected into arm tissue instead of a vein. An extravasation can damage skin and tissue, increase the chance of developing a secondary cancer, and compromise the resulting images used to determine the best course of treatment. Right now, there are no federal rules requiring the reporting of an extravasation regardless of how severe the radiation exposure.

Your support for HR 6815 would be a significant step forward in safeguarding patients and upholding the highest standards of care in nuclear medicine. This straightforward legislation will not cost the taxpayers and it ensures transparency in care, protects patients from harm, and gives providers a grace period to improve their nuclear medicine administration procedures. 

Thank you for your time and consideration. I would be happy to provide any additional information or discuss this issue further at your convenience.