[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Sarah McConnell
Marketing and Communications Manager
813-400-2394
smcconnell@aakp.org
THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF KIDNEY PATIENTS ANNOUNCES 2017 JENNY KITSEN PATIENT SAFETY AWARD WINNERS
TAMPA, FLA – The American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP) has announced the recipients of its 2017 Jenny Kitsen Awards, the Association’s awards honoring organizations dedicated to patient safety work. The award recognizes visionaries whose insight and perseverance have led to dramatic advances that improve patient care.
The Jenny Kitsen Patient Safety Award funds an annual lecture or presentation that will advance patient safety by exploring innovation in health systems management. The award was created in 2014 by the former Network of New England whose Board of Directors established an endowment to continue the patient safety work of the non-profit organization led by Jenny Kitsen.
Among the organizations eligible to apply for the Jenny Kitsen Patient Safety Award are 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(6) organizations , public and government agencies, and many other organizations and institutions.
“AAKP has been committed to the education of patient safety, and discussing the gaps between the healthcare management systems for the kidney community. This award is about ensuring patient safety is a top priority for all healthcare professionals who care for those living with kidney disease and empowering patients to take an active role in their healthcare journey,” said Diana Clynes, the Programs Director for AKKP. “Every year, AAKP’s Award Selection Committee chooses one or more organizations that are dedicated to promoting patient safety and have a created a unique opportunity or platform to deliver their message. The 2017 Jenny Kitsen Patient Safety Award recipients are vastly different in their presentation model, however their intent and passion for patient safety is commendable just the same,” said Clynes.
2017 Award Winners
A.T. Still University of Oral Health, Dr. Maureen Munnelly Perry – Oral Health Safety Protocols
Dr. Maureen Munnelly Perry, Associate Dean for Post-Doctoral Education Director at Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health- A.T. Still University of Oral Health, found a lack of consistent, established protocols for patients with end stage renal and oral health care. “There is no consensus in the medical and dental community regarding what a protocol should contain, when it should be implemented and the type of antibiotic prophylaxis that should be prescribed for patients with renal disease,” said Dr. Perry. To help bridge this gap, Dr. Perry submitted her grant application to AAKP for the Jenny Kitsen Patient Safety Award to present her findings to the kidney community and bring awareness to the importance of oral healthcare to those with end stage renal disease.
A.T. Still University of Oral Health, Dr. Maureen Munnelly Perry – Oral Health Safety Protocols
“The goal of this lecture will be to offer a strong voice for patients with kidney disease to advocate for better care coordination between dentists and other healthcare professionals,” said Perry. To hear more about this topic, read her article in this issue of aakpRenalife and be sure to attend the 2017 AAKP Annual Convention where Dr. Perry will be a featured speaker.
All Kidney Patients Support Group (AKPSG) – Patient Safety and Empowerment
The All Kidney Patients Support Group Corporation (AKPSG) is a non-profit organization, designed to support kidney patients in the Tampa Bay Area at various stages of dialysis and transplantation. Founded and managed by dialysis patient/transplant recipient, Janice Starling-Williams, the AKPSG is dedicated to educating kidney patients, families, caregivers and healthcare professionals about the importance of reducing infections in dialysis centers, fistula safety, infection/disease control and more. This small yet mighty non-profit uses online webinars, live meetings, seminars, banquets, and presentations to educate hundreds of people in the manner in which they are accustomed to learning.
“We are committed to enhancing the health of this community through education and shared experiences,” said Starling-Williams. “AKPSG strives to help patients develop their voice to better involve their doctors, dialysis centers, and caregivers with the information and education they need to improve personal coping skills and health outcomes.”
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AAKP is a voluntary non-profit organization founded by kidney patients, which for more than 45 years, has been dedicated to improving the quality of life of kidney patients through education, advocacy and the fostering of patient communities. The programs offered by AAKP inform and inspire patients and their families to better understand their condition, adjust more readily to their circumstances, and assume more normal, productive lives in their communities.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
