Improving Safety through a Virtual Learning Collaborative

TL;DR

A virtual learning program helped healthcare leaders improve safety by increasing confidence and reducing inpatient harm events.

Contribution

A virtual learning collaborative successfully improved safety outcomes and leader confidence in a pediatric hospital setting.

Findings

Fifteen safety improvement projects were initiated by participants.

Confidence in safety improvement increased from 26% to 65% over the study period.

Inpatient preventable events decreased from 1.10 to 0.71 per 1000 bedded days.

Abstract

Frontline healthcare safety leaders require expertise and confidence to manage local safety programs effectively yet are confronted with substantial challenges in identifying risk and reducing harm.

We convened a multidisciplinary safety learning collaborative in a children’s hospital pediatric department and used the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s Breakthrough Series model. Participants attended four virtual education sessions over 13 months (September 2020–September 2021) focused on identifying harm and using tools to improve safety. We analyzed departmental safety data monthly throughout the collaborative. The primary outcome was the development of improvement projects using direct application of the session content. The secondary outcome was participant confidence in improving safety via pre- and postsurveys.

Seventy clinicians and quality consultants participated. Fifteen divisional safety improvement projects were initiated. The percentage of survey respondents who reported feeling “completely confident” in their ability to improve safety increased from 26% (n = 39) to 58% (n = 26) from September 2020 to September 2021 (P = 0.01) and maintained at 65% 1 year after the end of the collaborative. We observed a decrease in the mean rate of reported inpatient preventable and possibly preventable moderate/serious/catastrophic events per 1000 bedded days from 1.10 (baseline) to 0.71 (intervention period).

Through a collaborative effort in a virtual learning environment, we facilitated the development of fifteen safety projects, increased leaders’ confidence in improving safety, and saw improved inpatient safety. This approach, which involves healthcare professionals from various disciplines, may be effectively adapted to other settings.

Figures