Diffusing aviation innovations in a hospital in The Netherlands

Area of Science:

• Healthcare innovation
• Patient safety improvement
• Cross-industry learning

Background:

• Healthcare safety can be enhanced by adopting innovations from high-risk industries like aviation.
• Aviation shares similarities with healthcare, including technology use, specialized teams, and inherent risks.
• The Rotterdam Eye Hospital has implemented aviation-inspired innovations for nearly two decades.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the application and impact of aviation-based innovations in a hospital setting.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of diffusing innovations from the aviation industry into patient care.

Main Methods:

• A case-study methodology was employed to examine innovation implementation.
• Data were collected through hospital records, quality reports, incident reporting systems, document searches, observations, and interviews.

Main Results:

• Implemented aviation innovations included patient planning, risk analysis, time-out procedures, Crew Resource Management training, and a 'black box' system.
• These innovations positively impacted hospital quality and safety, reducing waiting times and wrong-site surgeries.
• Observed improvements included standardized work processes and heightened patient safety awareness.

Conclusions:

• A nearly 20-year experience with aviation-based innovations suggests a viable pathway for improving hospital safety.
• Hospitals should commence with simpler innovations and adopt a systematic approach to achieve safety goals.