This update was posted on our intranet with an all-Outlook announcement to Methodist Health System employees from John Fraser:

Anton Piskac, MD, Vice President of Performance Improvement for Methodist Health System, has posted a new ONLINE FORUM (intranet at facility) on the impact of our educational efforts related to “The Tyler Kahle Story: Aortic Dissection at Any Age.”

Julie

Six months ago, we debuted the video “The Tyler Kahle Story: Aortic Dissection at Any Age.” Coming forward like this was a first for Methodist and the health care community. We are accustomed to telling success stories, not tragedies.

We can all be proud to be part of an organization with the courage to do the right thing and tell this story. Methodist is making a difference. We are raising awareness and advocating for lifesaving changes that extend far beyond our walls.

Tyler’s Story

In 2002, 19-year-old Tyler Kahle came to Methodist Hospital twice for treatment of chest pain before dying of an undiagnosed aortic dissection. At the time of Tyler’s death, our staff, like most front-line health care providers, believed aortic dissection to be an unlikely diagnosis for someone so young. We were unaware of medical research that had established a genetic component to this condition and that aortic dissection can occur at any age.

Sadly, many providers remain unaware of these findings today. This is why it is so important for us to tell Tyler’s story and push for system changes to prevent such tragedies.

Worldwide Reach

The video which is posted online at www.bestcare.org/tyler, has attained worldwide viewership and garnered several awards:

• More than 4,500 viewers from 47 states and 35 countries have accessed the video through our Web site.
• Hundreds of DVDs have been provided free of charge through funding provided by Methodist Hospital Foundation, including distribution to hospital CEOs throughout Nebraska and Iowa.
• Awards earned by “The Tyler Kahle Story: Aortic Dissection at Any Age” include a Platinum from the International Ava (Audio/Visual) Awards, a Gold from the Aurora Independent Film and Video Competition Awards and a Special Achievement Award from the Nebraska Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America for Ed Rider, MHS PR Manager, co-producer and co-writer of the video.

Positive Feedback

Methodist has received an outpouring of positive responses to the video, including:

More comments from viewers of “The Tyler Kahle Story: Aortic Dissection at Any Age”

• Nebraska Coalition for Patient Safety: “Thank you for your recent video development honoring Tyler Kahle. All of us who are committed to patient safety understand the value of transparency and the significant impact a personal story can have. Your video had quite and impact and is worth sharing not only for the specific learnings about aortic aneurysms, but also for the simple value of listening to the patient. As difficult as it must have been for your organization and the family to share these very personal feelings, it will be worth it in the long run. Lives will be saved.” 
   
• Sorry Works Coalition: “Methodist Hospital is sharing the video with other hospitals so others can learn from their mistakes. That’s success. That’s also the ultimate benefit of disclosure and apology: process improvements and enhanced patient safety.”
• Aortic dissection survivor and Web master of www.aorticdissection.com: “I have just discovered this video done on Tyler Kahle (only 19) by Methodist Hospital. It’s a video done to increase the awareness of this deadly disease and how important the ER visit is in the outcome of the patient — regardless of the age of the victim. It's something that everyone should watch immediately.”
• Physician who is showing the video to 100 health care professionals in Iowa: “I am an ER doc; this is a really useful outcome of a tragic circumstance. Thanks.”
• Health system risk analyst in Chillicothe, Ohio: “Your video is very touching and hits home to many of us as health care workers. I would love to use your video for educational purposes within our facility.”
• Professor at Clemson University, S.C.: “I teach a graduate course for nurse practitioners and would love to show this video. Thanks.”
• School nurse in Omaha: We have a child with Marfan's Syndrome. It would be helpful to see the video for all to understand a complication we may face.”
• Nurse in Greenville, S.C.: “I’m a cardiac cath lab nurse, interested in sharing this knowledge with my co-workers. Thank you.”

• Mother in Omaha: “Thank you so much for making a difference. What a blessing this video is. I too lost my son in 2000 due to similar situations but at a different Omaha hospital. I know this video will make a difference if seen by other hospital ERs. My son was only 22 and died in the same manner.”

• Physician and professor at the University of Kentucky: “Excellent video. I will use this in my teaching conferences with internal medicine and pediatrics residents.”

• Aortic aneurysm survivor in Sugar Hill, Ga.: “This video does a great job of explaining this disease and its little known risks. I am so thankful that the Kahle family has offered their story to hopefully save a life.”

• Nurse in Mesa, Ariz.: “Very touching and heart wrenching. Glad to see some good come out of this tragedy. I wish to share it with our emergency physicians. Thank you.”

Ongoing Community and Professional Education

• After the video debuted at Methodist’s Fall 2007 Medical Staff Quality Retreat, it was featured in the Fall 2007 Critical Care Conference as part of a continuing education program for more than 60 physicians and nurses.
• An online nursing professional development course that features the video will be available soon at www.methodistcollege.edu.
• Presentations by Methodist staff members to community and professional organizations include presentations to area high schools and universities; the Institute for Health Care Improvement (IHI) 2007 National Forum on Quality Improvement as part of a learning lab on “Patient and Family-Centered Care at the Front Lines”; the annual meeting of the Nebraska Academy of Family Physicians in March 2008; and the annual conference of the American Society for Healthcare Risk Management (ASHRM) in Boston in October 2008.

Advocacy for Change

After Tyler’s death, Methodist Hospital made major changes in Emergency Department clinical history intake forms and chest pain protocols. These changes have identified aortic dissection in time for us to save at least half a dozen lives here at Methodist Hospital.

To help prevent tragedies like Tyler’s death from occurring at other facilities, we are pushing for a system change in the way all front-line care providers approach chest pain.

We are advocating that chest pain protocols nationwide include questions about family history of aortic disease regardless of the patient’s age, coupled with appropriate imaging studies to rule out this condition if a family history exists. We are currently working with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), pushing for adoption of this “aortic dissection bundle” for the evaluation of chest pain as part of the IHI’s Five Million Lives Campaign.

To read additional feedback on the video, click here

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