Citizens for Patient Safety is a global grassroots organization. Our agency builds alliances between and within diverse communities united in a common purpose by building bridges between consumers, the medical community, insurance and the legal community to improve the healthcare system and quality that patient's receive.
The origins of CPS began on September 21, 2001, when 22 year old Michael Skolnik underwent unnecessary brain surgery that ultimately led to his death three years later.
A study conducted by Health Grades Foundation in the U.S. suggests that medical errors are a major cause of death in this country, causing as many as 200,000 deaths each year.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tells us that there are 1.7 million hospital-acquired infections each year resulting in 99,000 deaths.
Preventable urinary tract infections number in the thousands and add an average of $40,000 to the cost of a hospital stay.
Medication errors injure 1.5 million patients every year.
Our Mission at Citizens for Patient Safety is to educate ourselves and future generations to take action to protect our health and safety from medical errors. Read Michael Skolnik's Story
Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) PSA about Physician Lookup in Colorado
"The Faces of Medical Error…From Tears to Transparency"
An award-winning, multi-part educational video series produced by Transparent Health®
In May 2009, the Consumers Union Safe Patient Project gave the U.S. a failing grade on progress toward reducing the estimated 100,000 deaths caused each year by preventable medical harm. That's 10 years after the Institute of Medicine's landmark report "To Err Is Human." According to the Consumers Union report, over a million deaths have occurred during that time.
It's time to bring new tools to the many efforts already underway to reduce medical error through patient safety education. "The Faces of Medical Error… From Tears to Transparency" is a multi-part educational video series that puts a face on medical error in a way that caregivers, hospital administrators, risk managers, educators, policymakers and consumers can all relate to on an emotional level—the key to behavior change. The series addresses learning from medical error as well as the importance of transparency and disclosure in dealing with error when it occurs.
Whether you are launching a new patient safety program or supplementing an existing initiative, "From Tears to Transparency" will capture attention and add value to your patient safety program. Programs in the series challenge viewers to analyze and reflect upon what went wrong, where their own systems may be vulnerable, how to improve care within their system and how to effectively address errors when they do occur.
Each DVD is accompanied by a CD filled with high-value educational resources, including a PowerPoint file of support materials to help facilitate the video, supplementary video when appropriate, learning objectives and reference materials related to the topics covered in the video. To learn more about this series and to purchase the DVD for your orgnaization, please visit the Transparent Learning website. If your purchase any of the products from Transparent Learning, please be sure to use the coupon code C4PS-LB. When you do, some of the proceeds will come back to Citizens for Patient Safety.
Watch the Trailer below:
Documentary about Citizens for Patient Safety coming soon to cable networks ~ Watch it Now:
See all of our videos on You Tube
A Family's Surgical Nightmare
(Colorado Public Radio)
Hear Patty and David Skolnik's story as it was presented on a December 6th broadcast of Colorado Public Radio. LINK
Medical Board Implementing Physician Profile Requirements
The Colorado Board of Medical Examiners (“the Board”) has implemented the requirements of the Michael Skolnik Medical Transparency Act (“the Act”), which was enacted into law by the Colorado General Assembly in 2007 and amended in 2009. The Act requires all physicians who submit an application for an initial license, license reinstatement, reactivation, or renewal, on or after January 1, 2008 to disclose specific information that can be accessed by the public. Physicians in Inactive status and Shriners Hospital Physicians are exempt from the Physician Profile requirements.
Read more about physician requirements.
Citizens for Patient Safety is a service of CP of Colorado
This online service provided by PatientsRightToKnow.org will help you find out what physician background reporting is available in your state.
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The Patient Medical Journal
The Patient Safety Medical Journal provides a simple and well organized format for you, or your advocate, to enter valuable information that will bolster your confidence in participating actively in the planning and execution of your care Learn more.
Welcome to Citizens for Patient Safety 
