Graduate Medical Education as a Lever for Collaborative Change: One Institution's Experience with a Campuswide...

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Patient Safety
• Quality Improvement

Background:

• The closure of a public hospital in 2013 necessitated changes in graduate medical education (GME) at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center (OLOL).
• Administrators were required to integrate residents into patient safety and quality improvement initiatives to meet regulatory standards.
• This report details the establishment of these initiatives within an expanding independent academic medical center.

Purpose of the Study:

• To outline the experiences and strategies employed in developing patient safety and quality improvement initiatives.
• To adapt GME programs to new regulatory and operational demands following a hospital closure.
• To foster a culture of safety and quality through scholarly activity and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Main Methods:

• Joined the Alliance of Independent Academic Medical Centers (AIAMC) for peer learning and collaboration.
• Formed a multidisciplinary team to develop a patient safety education project aligned with AIAMC National Initiative IV scholarly activity requirements.
• Conducted prioritized monthly team meetings to facilitate project progress and internal communication.

Main Results:

• A public-private partnership significantly expanded GME at OLOL, fostering an interdisciplinary team.
• The patient safety project received a national award and spurred further initiatives.
• A dedicated Patient Safety and Clinical Quality Improvement fellowship was established, successfully matching its first fellow in 2015.

Conclusions:

• Commitment from hospital and medical education leadership was crucial for expanding patient safety and quality improvement efforts.
• A focus on promoting cultural change through scholarly activity was instrumental in the initiative's success.
• The institution successfully enhanced its patient safety and quality improvement programs in response to evolving GME requirements.