During today’s CQI discussion I had a thought that I brought up to my group.
We look at some of the barriers to QI and safety projects as dedicated time, IRB and other administrative approval, leadership/project management, ect..
Would it be possible to complete our respective residencies with an emphasis on QI & Safety?
We already have advanced clinical tracts, research tracts, hospitalist tracts, rural, global health tracts, education tracts…and the list goes on.
Why is there no safety and QI tract where right from day one an interested, enthusiastic medical student with a passion for safety can begin pursuing that from the very start of residency. The time would be worked into the residents schedule, minimally interfering with clinical duties…half day/week-month, electives, time to attend conferences and speak, knowledge of the “system” and “culture” right from the start. The leadership would be there, the time would be there, the knowledge of approval and IRB would be easier to understand with more time.
Just imagine that every time a mistake occurred or a patient was harmed and the “go team” was activated. Now, just like the code or trauma pager went off in those situations, so did a pt safety pager and that resident would be involved in the process from time zero.
Now, imagine if that was occurring in every program that offered this tract in every hospital, in every city in the country.
Imagine the speed at which the culture would change…