Every two years, we choose two major initiatives to focus our activities around that represent significant areas for growth in the patient safety and quality space. From there, we organize Action Planning Subcommittees who meet monthly to explore these topics and plan activities around them.
In 2018, we chose the following two initiatives for the 2018-2019 period:
1) Improving the Diagnostic Process
Tactic 1: Raise awareness of the burning platform and define and measure the problem in a qualitative way.
Activities:
- Focus on specific aspects that are often missed in the diagnostic process.
Tactic 2: Develop a focus through collaboration and evidence-base.
Activities:
- Develop a toolkit of best practices.
- Build an educational curriculum.
Tactic 3: Promote collaborative diagnosis (including patient/family).
Activities:
- Develop tools and resources on WPSC website.
Work Products:
Partnerships: We were thrilled to become a member organization of Society to Improve Diagnosis in Medicine (SIDM).
Conference: Mark Graber and Sue Sheridan from SIDM were our closing speakers at the Northwest Patient Safety Conference in May 2019. Here are their slides:
Graber – Addressing Diagnostic Error – Its a Team Sport
Sheridan – Addressing Dx Error Patients Are the Answer
Safe Table: We hosted a Safe Table round table discussion in April 2019 focused on diagnostic improvement held at University of Washington Medical Center.
Podcast: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of the Diagnostic Process — interview with Paul Epner, co-founder of SIDM.
2) Promoting Best Practices of Patient Safety Culture
Tactic 1: Build champions/leaders in patient safety.
Activities:
- Increase patient safety knowledge base for healthcare professionals.
Tactic 2: Promote best practices in patient safety culture across continuum.
Activities:
- Bring in additional facilities (i.e. long-term care, rural, etc) through marketing and engagement.
- Build an educational curriculum.
Tactic 3: Enhance workforce resilience and care for the colleague/caregiver.
Activities:
- Plan Patient Safety round tables (“Safe Tables”).
- Create affinity groups.
- Develop tools and resources for care for colleague/caregiver.
- Engage organizational leadership.
- Protect people who report concerns.
Work Products: Webinars: WPSC Lunchtime Webinar Series: Care for the Caregiver
Bringing Encouragement and Support in Difficult Events
Providing Safe Spaces for Providers That Promote Connection, Empathy, and Wellbeing
How Compassion Mitigates Burnout
WPSC Lunchtime Webinar Series: Long-Term Care
Building Bridges Between Acute and Long-Term Care
Partnerships: We were thrilled to gain the membership of the Northwest Rural Healthcare Network, made up of 15 rural health systems in Washington, and partner with such organizations as the Schwartz Center for Compassionate Healthcare and Washington Health Care Association. Steve Levy also presented at the WHCA’s conference in May 2019.
Conference: Bryan Sexton of Duke University was our keynote and Michael Goldberg of the Schwartz Center for Compassionate Healthcare was our plenary speaker at the Northwest Patient Safety Conference in May 2019, both focused on burnout prevention and care for the colleague/caregiver. Here are Dr. Goldberg’s slides (Dr. Sexton’s are not shareable):
Goldberg – Towards a More Compassionate Workplace
Film Screening: We hosted a screening of the film To Err is Human in March 2019 during Patient Safety Awareness Week (with almost 200 attendees!) at UW Medical Center and also sponsored a screening at EWU in Spokane.
Podcast: How Can Large Hospital Systems Offer Care to Its Caregivers After an Adverse Event? — interview with a team from the University of Washington Medical Center.
Educational Programs: We collated the following programs:
- UW Certificate Program in Patient Safety and Quality
- IHI Open School Basic Certificate in Quality and Safety
- Johns Hopkins Armstrong Institute’s online Patient Safety Certificate Program
- Duke Center for Healthcare Safety and Quality
Communication & Resolution
We also have an ongoing initiative in support of the UW’S Collaborative for Accountability and Improvement in support of the Communication and Resolution Program (CRP) and CRP Certification to reshape responses to patient harm. Learn more about our CRP work.