Patient Safety Home :: Conference :: 2001 Conference :: Next Steps

April 18, 2001 3:15 — 4:15 PM
Moving Forward Together — How should VIPC&S proceed?

This session captured the ideas and suggestions flushed out during the conference.  The group initiated a discussion about first priorities. Meeting participants were asked to meet in moderated small groups for 30 minutes and list priorities, followed by a 30 minute wrap-up session outlining next steps.

Many of the same themes resonated among the different groups.  Here is a brief summary of the participants' suggestions on how VIPC&S should proceed:

PRIORITIES

• Increase and Promote Patient Safety Education efforts for the entire spectrum of the healthcare delivery system--consumers, administrators, business/purchasers, government, health plans, labor, nurses, pharmacists, physicians, risk managers, students, etc.
  • "Widely disseminate a proactive message to the public"
  • "Go back to your organizations and get the word out"
  • "Train health professionals early" in medical error methodology (ie, root-cause analysis).
• Expand membership to include consumer groups
• Change culture from "silo-approach" to interdisciplinary teamwork
• Remain as the recognized resource for patient safety in Virginia and serve as a continuing forum to discuss these issues.
• Act as a clearinghouse for patient safety information
  • best practices and evidence-based guidelines
  • shared success stories/ "lesson-learned" resource bank 
  • practical solutions
  • standardization/protocols
  • identify common sources of error
  • for inpatient and outpatient
  • list serve approach using website
  • see resources section
• Identify ways to better leverage information systems and technology (ie, patient level databases)

BARRIERS TO SUCCESS

• Cost
• Fear of litigation and punishment
• Legislation- National and State
• Nursing Shortages
• Workplace fatigue

SUGGESTED SOLUTIONS AND STRATEGIES

• Each member organization works to improve existing cultures
• Create specialized groups within VIPC&S to address specific issues:
  • sub-committees
  • affinity groups ("like minded fields with similar problems that share ideas to improve performance")
  • hospital CEO roundtable
• VIPC&S move from a voluntary organization model to an independent organization (?)
• Create an award for patient safety
• Address the litigation fear issue:
  • Legal advice/ forum
  • Confidential, standardized measures reporting systems
  • Whistle blower protection
• Maintain momentum of the conference by setting realistic, short term goals.  Perhaps, develop 2 or 3 quantifiable objectives for a specific timeframe; then follow-up and report back to the public with "what we said we were going to do and what we actually did."  Earn Credibility