Hospital CEO improves staff communication

Phil Hofstetter has begun blogging and holding daily morning safety briefings to improve the communication of Petersburg Medical Center staff.

The morning meetings allow department managers to discuss what has happened during the previous 24 hours. They also identify stress within the organization. According Hofstetter stress can lead to errors in care and safety issues for staff and patients. Stress can come from above average emergency room visits, or more inpatients.

"If there's a larger than normal census, then we all have to be on our toes and make sure we know that staff is going to be a...