In efforts to support hospital campus personnel effectively manage emergency situations and reduce variability across health care campuses, WSHA will collaborate with stakeholders over the next several months to modernize 15 safety, security and/or clinical events that universally support all campuses. Implementation of the updated, standardized emergency code events is aimed for Q4 2024.
In 2023, 19 hospitals – from small critical access hospitals to large health systems – convened and shared that more than 50 hospital codes are being utilized across Washington.
More than a decade ago, WSHA engaged with several Washington hospitals, external state patient safety stakeholders, additional state hospital associations and the American Hospital Association to support standard emergency codes. In early 2009, WSHA convened with 14 hospitals, OAHHS, three outside hospital associations and National Patient Safety Council to implement 10 emergency codes across Washington.
Emergency codes allow trained hospital personnel to respond quickly and appropriately to various safety, security and clinical incidents. There has been a trend to standardize overhead hospital emergency codes with an increased focus on the adoption of plain language and plain text. (Tina Seery)
