Attending physicians, housestaff and fellows are invited to participate in SHC Executive Safety Walk Rounds (ESWR), a newly launched initiative intended to improve the culture of safety at SHC.

ESWR, which started in August, is “intended to align top organizational leaders with frontline caregivers/employees in the shared pursuit of safety,” said Mike Peterson, chief operating officer, and Kevin Tabb, chief, quality/medical information officer.

Peterson and Tabb said the objectives of these monthly walk rounds are to:

Visibly demonstrate SHC leadership’s commitment to improving patient and environmental safety;
Educate caregivers and other employees about safety concepts such as nonpunitive reporting;
Identify issues which have or may have caused harm to patients, caregivers or employees;
Identify process issues and implement appropriate system changes.

Members of the SHC Senior Management Team have been assigned specific hospital units, departments and/or clinics where they will be conducting monthly ESWR at predetermined dates and times. Executives will be leading a 15-20 minute, confidential discussion with available frontline caregivers and employees to discuss safety issues impacting their practice or work.

ESWR will be conducted in:

• Hospital areas:
Admitting, B2, B3, C2, C3, D1-CCU, D1-CSU, Dgr/Egr, D2/D3, ED, E1, E2ICU, E3, Fgr, F3, Main OR, North ICU, PACU

• Outpatient Areas:
ASC, Breast Clinic (Cancer Center), Cardiology Clinic, Cath/Angio Lab, Orthopedic Clinic, CT Scan, Dermatology Clinic, Diagnostic Radiology, GI Radiology, ENT Clinic, Infusion Treatment Area (Cancer Center), Mammography (Cancer Center), MRI Scan, Radiation Therapy (Cancer Center), Ultrasound

• Departments:
Clinical Engineering, Clinical Laboratory, Materials Management, Occupational Health, Pharmacy, Sterile Processing

“Attending physicians, housestaff and fellows are encouraged to attend ESWR as their schedule permits so that safety issues impacting patients and medical practice become known,” said Tabb, a physician. “Please check with the appropriate unit or department manager for the specific date and time of ESWR.”

“All ESWR participants will receive electronic quarterly evaluations to critique rounds and suggest improvements to the process,” Peterson said. “ESWR conducted thus far have been highly successful and involved interested housestaff, fellows, nurses and other employees.”