National Patient Safety Awareness Week draws to a close Published March 15, 2013 By Airman 1st Class Jason Wiese 90th Missile Wing Public Affairs F. E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE, Wyo. -- Members of the 90th Medical Group celebrated National Patient Safety Awareness Week, held the first week of March, in the 90th MDG as it drew to its close March 8. Throughout the week, the 90th MDG hosted booths throughout the week with information about how patients can be more involved in their medical care and ensure their safety, said Elizabeth Adams, 90th Medical Group patient safety manager. "The patient should have as much say in their care as their medical professionals and should be asking questions," she explained. Patient Safety Awareness Week is also a time for medical professionals to get back to the roots of why they decided to work in medical career fields and reaffirm their dedication to providing safe, quality care, she added. "It's to raise awareness in the community and within the Medical Group on providing the best possible care to patients," she said. "When we first come into the medical career field, we have a desire to provide excellent care. This is a reminder of why we provide the service we do." Because the 90th Missile Wing has the Personnel Reliability Program to ensure Airmen working with ICBMs and ICBM components are up to the task, patient-focused medical care is especially important at F. E. Warren, she said. "In the medical career field, there is no room for error," Adams said. Air Force Medical Operations Agency provides funding to patient safety managers in the Air Force who use the funds to help spread patient safety awareness, Adams said. Pamphlets at the booths urge patients to be informed about their health, ask their healthcare providers questions and generally work with medical professionals as a team rather than allowing healthcare to be a one-way street. "It's an opportunity to focus on one of our primary concerns -- patient safety," said Col. Bridget Gregory, 90th MDG commander. "There are about 230 folks who work here who work toward this goal. Our aim is to foster health, inspire wellness and look after total force readiness, and underneath it all, the foundation is safety."