Plain-Language Emergency Alerts

The Texas Hospital Association, through its Board of Trustees, has endorsed a voluntary adoption of plain-language alerts for use inside all Texas hospitals to:

• Promote the safety of patients, visitors, physicians and hospital staff;
• Reduce errors;
• Increase transparency of communications and safety protocols;
• Align with national safety recommendations; and
• Reduce confusion for staff or physicians who work in more than one facility.

The decision to support the voluntary adoption of standardized, plain-language alerts follows an extensive vetting of THA member hospitals. As a member-driven initiative, the plain-language alert project was launched when several member hospitals inquired into the use of a uniform alert system beginning in 2013. THA’s Hospital Physician Executive Committee reviewed the issue in 2014, and a full member survey was completed in 2015 to analyze the extent of current code variation and to gauge member interest in a uniform system. Following the survey, THA staff convened a workgroup of members to review the issue and make recommendations.

THA’s voluntary standardized, plain-language emergency code project is a tremendous resource for all THA-member hospitals. I’ve seen firsthand the confusion that can arise from the use of color codes to announce an emergency within the hospital. Different hospitals use different colors to describe the same emergency. This variation easily creates confusion among physicians who may practice in multiple hospitals, the visiting public and employees who may have worked in other hospitals or health systems. Using plain language is the most effective way to communicate clear information and instructions when an emergency occurs and time is of the essence.

Brad Holland, FACHE, CEO, Cedar Park Regional Medical Center

Alerts

Facility Alert

Medical Alert

Security Alert

Weather Alerts