Inter-professional Human Factors Education: Democratizing Safety and Quality

Abstract

A key strategy for improving healthcare outcomes is the development of a sufficient number of health care professionals at both the front line and in leadership positions who partner with human factors experts to promulgate the lessons of patient safety and quality improvement (PS/QI). The complexity of healthcare systems necessitates effective collaboration to achieve gains in PS/QI. A “Patient Safety and Quality Leadership” (PASQUAL) Scholars program was developed at the University of Michigan to provide clinicians with a theoretical and practical underpinning of human factors, QI, and PS knowledge. The scholars program's curriculum has been developed and refined to create clinical leaders who can work together with human factors professionals to have a significant impact on healthcare outcomes. The PASQUAL Scholars curriculum provides a concrete, time-tested blueprint for a successful program to improve safety and quality, and provide a human infrastructure of partners in human factors efforts.