In discussions of hospital quality and safety, the concept of transparency is vital. Transparency in healthcare means being as open and honest about medical errors and lapses as we are about achievements and successes.
At Brigham and Women’s Hospital, our mission includes complete transparency of the performance measures that help define quality of care and patient safety. We view this as an important step in driving quality improvement. Read a Boston Globe article about BWH on this topic.
We owe it to our patients to be honest. We know from experience that frank discussions can result in remarkable solutions for improvement. Transparency requires persistence and commitment, and we are embracing this challenge.
