Standardization in patient safety: the WHO High 5s project.

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Patient Safety
• Process Improvement

Background:

• Process standardization, successful in other sectors, has lagged in healthcare, showing limited impact on patient safety.
• The High 5s project addresses this gap by implementing standardized operating protocols (SOPs) globally.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the feasibility of implementing standardized healthcare processes within and across hospitals and countries.
• To evaluate the impact of standardization on targeted patient safety issues.

Main Methods:

• The High 5s project utilizes standardized operating protocols (SOPs) for patient safety.
• It employs a multi-pronged evaluation approach across multiple hospitals in seven countries.
• Three SOPs (correct surgery, medication reconciliation, concentrated injectable medicines) are being implemented and assessed.

Main Results:

• The project is in its fifth year, indicating an ongoing process of implementation and evaluation.
• Early insights suggest the initiative is an exercise in behavior management, testing healthcare workers' adaptability to standardized processes.
• The focus is on achieving measurable, significant, and sustainable reductions in patient safety challenges.

Conclusions:

• Implementing standardized healthcare processes globally is feasible but requires addressing behavior management.
• The High 5s project provides a framework for evaluating the impact of standardization on patient safety.
• Further adaptation and sustained behavioral change are crucial for realizing the full benefits of process standardization in healthcare.