Optimizing patient outcomes by improving communication and teamwork was the goal for the TeamSTEPPS Master Training course that all AMSURG Clinical Quality team members completed in July. Held at AMSURG's Nashville headquarters, the Master Training course featured an in-depth train-the-trainer approach.
The two-day session, led by a team from the University of Washington, brought techniques, tools and innovative solutions to assist the AMSURG Clinical Quality team in successfully implementing and sustaining TeamSTEPPS principles of communication, leadership, situation monitoring and mutual support.
"This training is about empowering our Senior Clinical Directors with better knowledge to carry to our centers and equipping them with the know-how to help center staff improve the quality of care they're delivering," said Debbie Cibulka, vice president, clinical risk management. After the intensive training, all AMSURG Clinical Quality team members are now certified master trainers and will be training staff at various AMSURG surgery centers throughout the next year.
"You can strive all day long to try to do the best you can, but unless you have protocols in place that have been practiced to the point of habit, you're still going to be prone to errors," said Sarah Martin, vice president, clinical services.
Medical team training programs have been shown to reduce annual surgical mortality rates and adverse events. "The quality of patient care is equal to the quality of communication and planning," Martin said. "This training will be an invaluable asset to AMSURG Clinical Quality moving forward. We are committed to excellence and to providing accessible and proven tools for building a culture of safety in each of our centers."