Senior Executive Safety Walk Rounds: A Model for Senior Executives to Improve Safety

摘要

In response to the 2000 release of IOM's report To Err is Human, The Johns Hopkins Hospital (JHH) saw a need for a culture change. The JHH Patient Safety Committee created a safety program that focused on encouraging staff in selected units to identify and eliminate potential errors in the patient care environment. Senior hospital executives each adopted a critical care unit and worked with the unit staff to identify issues and empower staff to address safety issues. The senior executive adopt-a-work unit program was successful in identifying and eliminating hazards to patient safety and in creating a culture of safety. This program can he broadly implemented. The keys to program success are the active role of an executive advocate and the willingness of staff to openly discuss safety issues on their unit. Regular meetings between the advocates and the units have provided a forum for enhancing executive awareness, increasing staff confidence and trust in executive involvement, and swiftly and effectively - addressing areas of potential patient harm.