Inova Health System TeamSTEPPS Success Story
TeamSTEPPS has been instrumental in fostering Inova Health System’s mandate to provide high-reliability, highvalue, person-centered and seamless care. Investment in formal and standardized TeamSTEPPS training has led to an environment of respect, trust and accountability among care team members.
Background
- A five-hospital health system with ambulatory services in Northern Virginia and Metro Washington D.C.
- Introduced TeamSTEPPS training in 2014, first focused on clinical care teams and using a varied curriculum at Inova’s five hospitals.
- In 2018, adopted a systemwide training approach and required TeamSTEPPS training for onboarding all employees and providers.
Approach & Goals
- Creating an environment committed to zero harm.
- Creating a culture of psychological safety that empowers all employees.
- Promoting effective teamwork in a complex health care environment.
Actions Taken
- Centralized TeamSTEPPS training and faculty in the system office of patient safety to standardize curriculum and monthly training.
- Created training in the form of a 90-minute mandatory virtual workshop as part of all new employees’ onboarding, including clinical and non-clinical staff and providers.
- Increased TeamSTEPPS adaptation and visibility across the organization in daily operations by using tiered huddles, providing access to tools and continuing safety improvement work.
Positive Outcomes
- Safety culture survey results improved year over year, surpassing national benchmarks for overall percent positive response.
- 2021 and 2023 showed consistently strong performance in all safety culture domains with 4 of the 10 exceeding national benchmarks; many domains are close to or exceed the 75th percentile in performance.
Recommendations
- Team training should be mission critical to the organization’s mission for safe and reliable care.
- Embedding a standardized training program and making TeamSTEPPS visible in daily operations will lead to improved teamwork and patient outcomes.
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