Daily Operational Safety Exercise

The daily operational safety exercise was an initiative spearheaded by the patient safety department to enhance the culture of safety within the organization. This effort specifically focused on prospective risk assessment, a critical culture of safety element. The project resulted in the implementation of a 15-minute daily safety check-in call/meeting involving hospital-wide representation. These meetings help increase awareness and provide a real-time understanding of operational issues within the organization. The calls/meetings help ensure that the organization is sensitive to risk at all times and not just for short periods following safety events. The DOSE is modeled after the 'plan of the day' meetings that the nuclear power plant industry utilizes to identify safety issues. The hospital has implemented and embraced this process as a tool to increase high reliability throughout the organization.

This case study is part of the Illinois Hospital Association's annual quality awards. Each year, IHA recognizes and celebrates the achievements of Illinois hospitals in continually improving and transforming health care in the state. These hospitals are improving health by striving to achieve the Triple Aim--improving the patient experience of care (including quality and satisfaction); improving the health of populations; and reducing the per capita cost of health care.

Award recipients achieve measurable and meaningful progress in providing care that is:

• Safe
• Timely
• Effective
• Efficient
• Equitable
• Patient-centered

(The Institute of Medicine's six aims for improvement.)