Kerry O’Connell
I am a Civil Construction Executive and Colorado native who prior to 2004 had built a few Healthcare Facilities but had never been admitted as a patient.
In October 2004 I dislocated my Elbow (Terrible Triad of the Elbow) from a fall which led to 8 surgeries over 2 years at a cost of over $250,000. My journey included a major surgical error (destruction of my Radial Nerve), a major surgical site infection (MRSE), and a major billing error which kind of redefined terrible triad for me. Some have said that I experienced all of Healthcare’s major problems in a very brief period of time. I became heavily involved in numerous organizations such as the Colo. Coalition for Patient Safety, Consumers Union, APIC, Colo. Citizens for Accountability, and the Colo. Consumer Health Initiative. My focus has been twofold infection prevention, and restoring the art of compassion post medical harm.
In the fall of 2005 I studied a dozen orthopedic textbooks and designed my own combination of 3 tendon transfers that restored 90% function to my arm.
I was appointed as a member of Colorado’s Infection Reporting Committee which I Chaired in 2008. I think that I have greatly influenced the 20 Doctors and Nurses that have served on this
committee. I have presented a program called Infectious Empathy 5 times to a total of about 1000 Nurses and doctors across the western US hopefully, I have touched a few souls. In August of 2012 my story “Two Arms Two Choices” was published in Health Affairs.
I have also been published in The Washington Post, Dr. Kevin MD, and the NPSF blog.
For more details about Kerry’s experience with Patient Harm, Click Here