Safer care, healthier patients: HRSA's Patient Safety and Clinical Pharmacy Services Collaborative

Background

Given the fragmented nature of the healthcare delivery system, gaps in communication and coordination between and within delivery sites often result in severe patient safety and quality risks. The Patient Safety and Clinical Pharmacy Services Collaborative (PSPC), led by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), is a quality improvement breakthrough initiative designed to bring diverse teams of health care providers together to ensure that care delivered by safety-net organizations and their partners becomes the safest and best in the nation.

Goal

The goals of the PSPC are to integrate clinical pharmacy services into the healthcare delivery system, to create patient-centered care for patients that will produce breakthroughs in their health outcomes, and to improve patient safety. Central to this aim is providing teams of safety-net organizations and their community-based partners with the tools and skills to improve care, decrease errors and realize cost savings.

Methods

PSPC uses a fast paced, iterative improvement method adapted from the Model for Improvement and the IHI's Breakthrough Collaborative Series method. The PSPC model is designed to spread leading practices that were demonstrated by 34 high performing organizations. Through an intensive series of Learning Sessions and Action Periods, the first cohort of PSPC teams learn about the leading practices from expert national faculty and from each other. The first Learning Session began in August 2008 and the final Learning Session will conclude in Fall 2009. The Action Period occurs between each Learning Session and allows PSPC teams to test, refine and implement changes.

Results

PSPC has enrolled 68 community-based teams representing 37 states and Puerto Rico, 209 organizations, 56 community health centers, 32 hospitals, 19 Schools of Pharmacy, 8 Ryan White Grantees, 6 Poison Control Centers, 5 Primary Care Associations, and 3 State Health Departments. Twelve teams are from rural areas. A national dashboard will help teams track monthly progress on multiple measures to assess improvement in health outcomes, clinical pharmacy services, and adverse drug events. Team improvement results will be available in Fall 2009.

Conclusion

PSPC teams will demonstrate their capacity to make incremental changes that lead to system-wide improvements in patient safety and health outcomes through the integration of clinical pharmacy services into the primary healthcare delivery system. PSPC will also continue to spread leading practices as new teams will be enrolled in the Fall 2009 to sustain these efforts.