Prioritizing Communication for Patient Safety

The key to providing safe care in any healthcare organization The key to providing safe care in any healthcare organization is good communication. It’s a simple idea, but not always an easy one to implement, especially when juggling the many competing demands of a busy clinic.

To create time and space for a focused dialog on safety, Kellogg leadership instituted an annual ‘safety morning.’ Once a year, time is reserved on the calendar,during which no clinic appointments or procedures are scheduled.

“Faculty and staff are empowered to use that window of uninterrupted time to review safety protocols, discuss issues specific to their clinics, and suggest possible process improvements,” explains Jennifer Weizer, M.D., chair of Kellogg’s safety committee.

Safety morning begins with a department-wide review of fundamental safety principles. That discussion is followed by breakout sessions within each clinic to discuss every day issues and concerns that can impact safety.

Due to COVID-19 precautions, 2021 safety morning sessions took place both in-person and virtually so all could participate. Safety committee members spent time in each clinic discussion, noting the topics covered and looking for common areas to share potential improvements.

After faculty and staff voiced a desire to keep the dialog going throughout the year, clinics initiated quarterly safety “huddles” to talk in depth about pressing issues.

“Prioritizing opportunities like safety mornings and safety huddles illustrates Kellogg’s commitment to listening, learning and continuous improvement,” Dr. Weizer says. “Those are the keys to maintaining our outstanding safety record.”