Summary: ECRI CEO Marcus Schabacker moderated a panel at the White House Healthcare Safety Forum, discussing patient safety and workforce wellbeing. Healthcare leaders shared insights on empowering patients, creating safe workplace cultures, and improving care quality through systems-based models. The Biden-Harris Administration announced actions to address patient and workforce safety at a national level.

Key Takeaways:

  • Healthcare leaders discussed the importance of patient feedback, leadership, and creating a “just culture” in improving patient safety and workforce wellbeing.
  • The Biden-Harris Administration is taking action to address patient and workforce safety, encouraging healthcare organizations to collaborate with the National Action Alliance for continued progress.

ECRI president and CEO Marcus Schabacker, MD, PhD, moderated a panel at the White House, focusing on successful practices that improve patient safety, workforce wellbeing, and patient health.

White House Forum on Healthcare Safety

The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) hosted the Healthcare Safety Forum on September 17, convening health organization leaders, patient advocates, healthcare executives, and Biden-Harris Administration officials. The forum aimed to highlight best practices and inspire public and private actions to reduce patient and workforce harm by 50% towards the goal of zero preventable harm.

Schabacker led a panel discussion with healthcare leaders on topics including patient empowerment, leadership in safety, workforce protection, and integrating safety by design in healthcare.

Cincinnati Children’s Hospital: Incorporating Patient Feedback

Panelists Stephen Muething, MD, and Pamela Wendel of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital shared strategies for systematically integrating feedback from patients, caregivers, and families into their safety practices.

MedStar Health: Addressing Adverse Events and Just Culture

MedStar Health’s Rollin J. “Terry” Fairbanks and Andrea Geraci, RN, discussed human factors engineering and the importance of fostering a psychologically safe “just culture” in responding to adverse events.

Prisma Health: Systems-Based Improvements in Patient Safety

Prisma Health’s Jonathan Gleason, MD, and Greta S. Harper, MD, MBA, shared how systems-based clinical operating models improve patient safety and care quality within their organization.

Biden-Harris Administration Announcements

Following the forum, the Biden-Harris Administration announced actions from key health organizations like the CDC, CMS, Department of Defense, and Veterans Health Administration to improve patient and workforce safety.

Healthcare organizations were encouraged to connect with the National Action Alliance for Patient and Workforce Safety to continue advancing these critical discussions and support the goals outlined in the PCAST Report and the five aims of the Alliance.

“By implementing an evidence-based total systems approach to safety, utilizing clinically informed human factors engineering, data-driven insights and patient-reported concerns, we will establish a truly person-centered approach that reduces preventable harm and advances health equity,” said Schabacker.