Success of a Resident-Led Safety Council: A Model for Satisfying CLER Pathways to Excellence Patient Safety Goals.

Abstract

The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Clinical Learning Environment Review (CLER) program focuses on aspects of the graduate medical education learning environment, such as patient safety. Data from CLER site visits reveal that many resident physicians do not receive adequate training on patient safety. We evaluated a pediatric resident-led safety council as a method to meet CLER Pathways to Excellence patient safety objectives. The Duke Pediatric Residency Safety Council (PRSC) created an infrastructure for residents to participate in department safety efforts, review safety events, and act as leaders for safety initiatives. Annual surveys were distributed to graduate medical education trainees through the institution's patient safety center and the PRSC. Survey results of safety attitudes were compared over time within the pediatrics program and between pediatrics and nonpediatrics trainees at the institution. Resident-submitted safety reports were tracked through an institutional safety event repository. From 2013 to 2017, the percentage of residents who strongly agreed that they could submit a safety report doubled (from 35% [6 of 17] to 73% [22 of 30], P = .011). The average number of safety reports submitted by a pediatrics resident per year did not significantly change during this period (from 3.0 to 3.8, P = .11). In 2017, 90% of pediatrics residents (27 of 30) agreed or strongly agreed that their concerns would be addressed if they entered a safety report. The council addressed 5 of the 7 CLER Pathways to Excellence in patient safety.