“Put the numbers on the board and the numbers will move.” This lesson was taught within the context of healthcare transparency, but it resonates broadly.
An effective means of passively encouraging change is to broadcast the facts publicly. It spurs conversations between colleagues. It ignites competition within programs to improve. It can even initiate a journey through the 5 stages of grief for some individuals. Ultimately, it generates a stir. This stir is exactly what we need to draw attention to patient safety and medical education.
Too many times during this roundtable so far have I heard a fellow student exasperate “why aren’t we learning this in school?!” The knowledge we’re acquiring is invaluable and we are collectively shocked and disgruntled that these topics are not effectively breached, especially during the didactic half of the medical school curriculum.
This evening, after many riveting discussions and much late-night brainstorming, amongst a handful of us an idea was composed and a challenge has been posed. In an effort to collectively discover the level of patient safety education integrated into our programs, we are calling each and every one of us to action: let’s put the numbers on the board. Let’s share the action, or lack there of, that our schools are putting forth in regards to patient safety.
By compiling the answers to the following questions we expect to visualize the level of patient safety education students are receiving.
1. What is your program doing to educate students about patient safety? How?
2. How many hours are dedicated to patient safety across your curriculum? In which years?
3. Does your program require the completion of any IHI Open School modules?
If we can compile enough information, share it within an appropriate venue, and broadcast the results to programs nationwide, it’s expected that we can generate a much-needed stir. What programs are leading the charge? How can we learn from them and how can we better implement patient safety education into our own programs? Is there a measurable effect on the medical culture at these institutions? Answers to these questions will precipitate from this massive info-collection. This is simply a small start approaching a behemoth of an issue, but if it “gets the numbers moving” then it will have served it’s purpose.
As a participant in this year’s roundtable we have access to one another, but to the alumni, faculty, or internet wanderers who stumble upon this post and have anything to share please email TPSER2014@gmail.com with the answers to the questions and/or information regarding your program’s efforts.