The Alliance for Safety Awareness for Patients (ASAP) is a non-profit organization formed by Alicia Cole and her parents Ron & Betty Cole. Alicia is a Survivor of Necrotizing Fasciitis and Sepsis which she contracted following routine surgery at a top rated hospital in August of 2006. After discovering a black dot on her daughter’s stomach Mrs. Cole’s insistence on alerting the doctor was said to have saved Alicia’s life.

During the two month hospital stay the Cole family learned firsthand the importance of awareness of hospital acquired infections and the necessity for adherence to vital infection prevention safety standards. Alicia had joined over two million Americans who, according to the Centers for Disease Control, developed nosocomial infections during the course of their treatment. Sadly, of those infected, an estimated 103,000 patients died.

Understandably, The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations has recommended all patients entering a hospital have a patient advocate with them.

This site was started as a way to pull together grassroots advocates, survivors and medical providers working to improve our healthcare system. Hopefully there will be someone who joins from every area of the country and every level of expertise.

Please feel free to share your thoughts and experience...and tell a friend to check us out.