Quality Management partners with interdisciplinary teams hospital-wide to identify target areas for data-driven performance improvement initiatives through our occurrence reporting platform. Quarterly reports are shared with the hospital units and Performance Improvement Coordinating Group to monitor trends. By establishing a just culture, we are able to work together to reduce harm to patients through strengthening processes and technology to eliminate errors. Interdisciplinary collaboration across service lines and departments as well as our real-time reporting structure promotes trust and creates a safer environment for providing care, driving us forward in the journey to becoming a high-reliability organization.
Tool: Improve North Occurrence Reporting Platform
Problem: The goal is to reduce harm to patients through reporting safety events, and strengthening processes to eliminate errors. Interdisciplinary collaboration across departments and our real-time reporting structure promotes trust and creates a safer environment for providing care, driving us forward in the journey to becoming a high-reliability organization
Tool Selection: Improve North’s online platform allows for real-time, standardized occurrence reporting tools to identify trends among service lines and departments. It is accessible to all team members and encourages front-line staff to report patient safety events, promoting a culture of safety throughout the hospital
Usage: Hospital leadership encourages all team members to report occurrences, which are analyzed quarterly to monitor trends. The occurrence reporting and performance improvement process is outlined to guide team members throughout the targeted initiatives. Process changes and quality outcomes are evaluated for effectiveness by utilizing the Plan, Do, Study, Act framework
Results: Initiatives focused on reducing blood product waste, incorrect sharp counts, and booking errors, as well as reducing mislabeled specimens, order issues, and diagnostic imaging errors. Performance improvement initiatives were implemented by monitoring the efficient utilization of products, leveraging technology, and standardizing tools and processes for real-time data collection and education to staff
