Safe & Sound Patient and Family Engagement™
RESOURCES TO SUPPORT YOUR PATIENT-CENTERED CARE
Problem:
Nothing in life prepares patients to manage health care – which is increasingly complex.
Solution:
Put patients, families and providers “on the same page” with clear information for a shared goal: safe & sound care.
Karen Curtiss, Founder and Director
Our simple checklists and forms “check the boxes” for engaging patient education
- Branded as your own
- May edit as you wish
- Friendly tone, “everyday” terms
- One-page format, modern graphics
- ADA accessible
- Turnkey, low-cost
- One week delivery, ready to upload to your site
- Website content and SEO
- Patient portal information
- Social media shares
- E-books
- Video/TV channel content
- Patient packets
- Pre-admisison emails and education
- Simulations with students and clinicians
Our Safe & Sound “how to” checklists for patients and families conform to best practices for patient-centered care:


- AMA Literacy guidelines, 6th grade reading level/below
- AHRQ Engagement Guidelines
- Joint Commission “Speakup” Campaign
- Medicare Engagement Goals
- NQF Patient Safety Guidelines
- Moore Foundation Engagement Roadmap
- Directly supports 8 HCAHPS metrics around medications, discharge, recovery
- Indirectly supports HCAPHS metrics around communication
- Supports Leapfrog Survey metric on hand hygeine
Safe & Sound PFE content has been vetted by dozens of clinicians and subject matter experts from:


- The Oliver Center for Patient Safety, University of Texas Medical Branch
- Providence Health
- University of Chicago (UChicago Medicine)
- Telligen
- Trinitas Hospital
- Mountain Pacific Quality Health
- APIC (Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology)
- QSEN (Quality and Safety Education for Nurses)
- HQI (Health Quality Institute, California Hospital Assn.)
- Stanford Health Care
- Patient Safety Movement Foundation
- Maryland Hospital Association
- Sharp Healthcare


Free Implementation Guide
Includes dozens of simple ways to use and share all Safe & Sound PFE resources with patients, families, physician practices, students and community services.
And more.
Take a Tour
We’ve compiled a sample of our Safe & Sound checklists and forms in a handy flip-book.
Take a few minutes to go through them now.
A fit for your PFE goals?
Questions? Ideas? Want to get started?
We welcome your note
or call/text 847.208.6074.
FACT: Better Health Care Literacy Leads to Better Health
Share Safe & Sound™ resources to engage patients and families with head, heart and hands.


How to Plan for A Safe & Sound Hospital STAY
Share simple steps to prepare for a planned stay. How to support good communication, safeguard care – and when to get a nurse!


How to plan for post-discharge care
Help patients and “Care Partners” prevent a hospital “round trip.” Share small details with planning checklists that make a difference!


How to support loved ones' care from afar
When loved ones can’t be bedside, share these these tips with them for supporting hospital care and good comunication with staff.


How to Plan for & manage ED Care for high-Risk patients
Share tips on how to prep for emergency care, help reduce loved one’s anxiety, and support good communcation with staff.


How to support loved one's pregnancy, birth, recovery
Share how a mom-to-be will benefit from knowledgeable and engaged Care Partners during pregnancy, childbirth and recovery.


How to Confirm Diagnoses and Get 2nd Opinions
For peace of mind, key questions to ask for every diagnosis. Valuable guidance for obtaining 2nd opinions and how to evaluate.


How to weigh surgery decisions/treatment options
Every sugery carries risk. Ensure your patients feel fully informed about every surgery. Offer simple to-do’s and questions to ask.


How to Prep for Doctor Appointments
Every minute with doctors matters! Help patients organize and prepare so that every meeting is productive and supports good, clear communication.


How to Prep for Telehealth Meetings with Your Doctor
Telehealth meetings have a time and place. Share criteria for this option, and how to prepare and set up the physical space for a successful experience.


How & When to Choose Palliative & Hospice Care
Help patients and their families feel comfortable making decsions when supportive care is needed with clear and simple information.


How to Screen & choose senior residential options
Show your care with key screening questions for a decision: guidance for quality and safety, and fit for individual needs that are likely to evolve.


More checklists and guides in development.
Learn more!


Increase Health Care Literacy • Increase Trust • Expand Your Safety Net of Care
“I’m more likely to ask questions.”
“I have more confidence in myself [as a Care Partner to loved one.]”
“My husband is fighting terminal cancer. I don’t feel so scared and not able to help him.”
“I appreciate my hospital giving me this information.”
“I have more confidence in my hospital [for sharing checklists.]
“[Checklists] give me peace of mind.”
“Will help me better support my mother.”
“So useful as a caregiver whose parent is going to the hospital so often, and as a professional who helps caregivers with information all day long.”

