Implementing hospital-based communication-and-resolution programs: lessons learned in New York City

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Patient Safety
• Medical Ethics

Background:

• Communication-and-resolution programs (CRPs) aim to improve the handling of serious adverse events in healthcare settings.
• Previous research indicates potential benefits of CRPs in enhancing patient safety and trust.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the implementation experiences of a communication-and-resolution program (CRP) in general surgery across five New York City hospitals.
• To assess the program's impact on adverse event reporting, disclosure, investigation, and compensation.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of a communication-and-resolution program (CRP) in general surgery departments.
• Monitoring of program components including reporting, disclosure, investigation, and compensation over a 22-month period.
• Qualitative assessment of hospital experiences and challenges.

Main Results:

• All five participating hospitals demonstrated improvements in the disclosure and surveillance of serious adverse events.
• The compensation component of the communication-and-resolution program (CRP) was not fully implemented across all sites.
• Challenges in program implementation were noted, particularly concerning the compensation aspect.

Conclusions:

• Successful implementation of communication-and-resolution programs (CRPs) requires robust support from hospital and insurer leadership.
• Adequate staff resources and organizational willingness to tolerate risk are critical for CRP success.
• Hospitals should ensure leadership commitment and resource allocation for effective CRP adoption and staff education.