Organizational culture change

Innovations

Nurse- and Pharmacist-Led Physician-Approved Inpatient Pneumococcus Standing Orders Program Increases Vaccination Rates for At-Risk Patients 02/11/08

Three hospitals within the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Health System developed and implemented a standing orders program to provide pneumococcal vaccinations to appropriate patients in the hospital.

Educational Game Increases Compliance With Appropriate Hand Hygiene Protocols Among Intensive Care Unit Staff at Academic Medical Center 02/11/08

A game to educate health care workers in intensive care units about appropriate hand hygiene increased awareness of and adherence to hand hygiene protocols at a major academic medical center, leading to increased compliance with appropriate hand hygiene protocols from 37 to 53 percent.

Comprehensive Initiative to Create a Culture of Safety Significantly Reduces Harm Caused by Medical Errors, Mortality, Length of Stay, and Hospital-Acquired Pneumonia and Infections 02/11/08

Sentara Healthcare launched a program designed to create a strong culture of safety. The initiative includes an assessment of the existing safety culture, establishment of goals related to improved safety, the development of specific strategies to identify and correct safety problems, and the use of ongoing processes and systems to monitor progress and encourage continued improvement.

Multifaceted Program Helps Pediatricians Screen for Maternal Depression and Assess Infant Crying and Toilet Training, Enhancing Their Ability To Prevent, Identify, and Address Cases of Potential Child Abuse 02/08/08

A multifaceted program called Practicing Safety helps pediatricians become more effective in screening for potential child abuse and providing support and other services to prevent such abuse.

Standardized Shift-Change Process Optimizes Time for Transfer of Patient Care Responsibility, Leads to High Levels of Nurse and Patient Satisfaction 02/07/08

A six-step process related to nurse shift changes is designed to enhance patient safety by conveying vital patient information accurately, concisely, and consistently, leading to improved nurse and patient satisfaction and more nurse time spent at the bedside.

Checklists With Medication Vest or Sash Reduce Distractions During Medication Administration 02/05/08

Based on airline safety principles, five simple and inexpensive interventions significantly reduced the number of distractions experienced by nurses during medication administration.

Team Communication Improvement Initiatives Enhance a Hospital's Culture of Safety, Leading to Improved Outcomes 01/28/08

Abington Memorial Hospital pursued a number of activities to build a culture of safety, including TeamSTEPPS ™ (Strategies and Tools to Enhance Performance and Patient Safety) training and other initiatives to enhance communication and awareness of safety issues.

E-Mail and Telephone Contact Replaces Most Patient Visits in Primary Care Practice, Leads to More Engaged Patients and Time Savings for Physicians 01/28/08

GreenField Health in Portland, OR, uses e-mail and telephone communications for the majority of patient contacts, thus saving physician time and freeing up capacity to serve patients who need inperson care more quickly.

Practice Enhancement Assistants Improve Quality of Care in Primary Care Practices 01/25/08

Practice enhancement assistants improve patient care through practice audits and feedback, staff training, sharing of innovative ideas, and support in the development of systems and infrastructure.

Unit-Based Safety Program Improves Safety Culture, Reduces Medication Errors and Length of Stay 01/25/08

The Comprehensive Unit-Based Safety Program (CUSP) improves patient safety awareness and quality of care by empowering staff to take charge, create partnerships between units, improve organizational culture, and obtain resources for unit efforts.

Innovations

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