Patient safety manager at Central DuPage Hospital receives national award
Laurel Ann Peterson, BSN, RN, Patient Safety Program manager at Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital, has been awarded the inaugural Kerry Johnson Safety Champion Award by HPI Press Ganey.
The new honor is bestowed on individuals who go above and beyond to benchmark and share their organization's thoughts and best practices on patient safety with other organizations.
Peterson, a St. Charles resident, has helped to embed safety as a cornerstone behavior and value within Central DuPage Hospital.
Peterson develops action plans and regularly shares safety lessons learned so leaders can in turn share them with their teams. She also developed the Safety Coach program, which includes more than 200 safety coaches who observe and coach their peers on how to use the safety tools during the course of their work day.
Additionally, she leads safety trainings throughout the year for new employees and leaders.
"The dedication and resources that our leaders have given to our safety campaign is a testament to their commitment to provide patient care with the highest standard of safety and quality," Peterson said. "And every day our front-line staff demonstrate their motivation to provide our patients with the safest care by embracing the concepts and tools of our campaign."
Peterson has served as an instrumental safety leader at Central DuPage Hospital since she joined the organization in 2007.
"Laurel Ann helps leaders feel safe reporting safety concerns, and she reminds us that safety concerns are typically not about a person but about a process that needs improvement," said Maureen Romeo, clinical director of the Medical Care Center at Central DuPage Hospital. "Without Laurel Ann's leadership, we would not be where we are today."
HPI Press Ganey partners with and guides organizations to build a high-reliability performance culture, specifically to help achieve zero harm and reduce serious safety events.