Editor’s Note: Today, we presented the 2017 Sherman Awards for Excellence in Patient Engagement and named 2017’s finalists during the National Patient Safety Foundation’s Annual Congress. Below is the release that was issued this afternoon. During the coming months, EngagingPatients.org will feature the winners and finalists as guest bloggers.
University of Rochester Medical Center’s UR Voice Team and Holland Bloorview Kids’ Rehabilitation Hospital’s Client and Family Centred Care Simulation Development Team were named the winners of the fourth annual Sherman Award for Excellence in Patient Engagement at the National Patient Safety Foundation’s (NPSF) 19th Annual Patient Safety Congress today.
The honor was conferred by Taylor Healthcare and the NPSF Lucian Leape Institute on behalf of EngagingPatients.org. The Sherman Award recognizes innovative programs that are improving care and outcomes through patient and family engagement.
Additionally, three programs were named 2017 finalists: Brigham Health-Brigham and Woman’s Hospital Patient Safety Team; Dayton Children’s Hospital Family Resource Connection; Northeast Ohio Medical University Health Professionals Affinity Community (HPAC).
About the Sherman Award winners:
University of Rochester Medical Center
UR Voice is a patient-reported outcomes survey tool that uses an NIH-funded software program called PROMIS (Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement System). Patients take a 3-5 minute iPad survey at every outpatient visit. The software captures their perspectives on important indicators including physical function, mood and pain level. The data encourages shared decision-making—evaluating whether a treatment or surgery is a good choice based on the patient’s level of impairment or pain. Patients can compare their data with US normative data and shows graphically what treatment will do for them using predictive analytics. To date, more than 350,000 surveys have been completed by 112,581 patients.
Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital
Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital: Holland Bloorview is Canada’s largest children’s rehabilitation hospital focused on improving the lives of kids and youth with disabilities. A multi-disciplinary team including family-centred care leads, hospital leadership, clinicians and families developed simulation scenarios that provide an opportunity for meaningful, hands on learning about how to embed client and family-centred care into daily practice and improve patient and family experience. The training is delivered to all newly-hired clinicians and the hospital is also providing the training to current staff to ensure consistency and quality of care for patients and families. Seven scenarios were created and four (two videotaped and two live) are being used as teaching tools.
Families were full partners in simulation development. Their engagement ensured the scenarios are authentic and have lasting impact. After initial development, families continue to support the evolution of the workshops and participate as simulation facilitators.
“We continue to be impressed by the programs focused on patient and family engagement happening throughout the world,” said Mark O’Leary, president of Taylor Communications. “The Sherman Award gives us an insider’s look at how providers are connecting and building deeper relationships with patients and families.
“We know that improving communication with patients and families continues to be the cornerstone of strong patient engagement and patient satisfaction. The winners and finalists all crafted programs committed to listening to valuable input from patients and families and incorporated that feedback into programs to improve patient care. These concrete changes and dedication to incorporating patient and family voices are truly will impact outcomes and patient satisfaction and ultimately transform healthcare.”
Nominations were evaluated on their success in advancing patient engagement and driving results, sustainability, potential for replication, effectiveness in communicating and collaborating with stakeholders and inspirational value.
“Greater patient and family engagement—at all levels—really is an essential factor in improving safety and outcomes,” said Tejal K. Gandhi, MD, MPH, CPPS, president of the NPSF Lucian Leape Institute and chief clinical safety officer of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement following the NPSF merger with IHI on May 1. “As this year’s honorees demonstrate, improving patient and family engagement takes thought, effort, persistence, and innovation. But it can be done successfully with great effect.”
