Systems Engineering Initiative For Patient Safety Research Articles

Revealing complex interdependencies in surgical instrument reprocessing using SEIPS 101 tools

Sterile Processing Departments (SPDs) must clean, maintain, store, and organize surgical instruments which are then delivered to Operating Rooms (ORs) using a Courier Network, with regular coordination occurring across departmental boundaries. To represent these relationships, we utilized the Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety (SEIPS) 101 Toolkit, which helps model how health-related outcomes are affected by healthcare work systems. Through observations and interviews which built on prior work system analyses, we developed a SEIPS 101 journey map, PETT scan, and tasks matrices to represent the instrument reprocessing work system, revealing complex interdependencies between the people, tools, and tasks occurring within it. The SPD, OR and Courier teams are found to have overlapping responsibilities and a clear co-dependence, with critical implications for the successful functioning of the whole hospital system.

Healthcare team resilience during COVID-19: a qualitative study

BackgroundResilience, in the field of Resilience Engineering, has been identified as the ability to maintain the safety and the performance of healthcare systems and is aligned with the resilience potentials of anticipation, monitoring, adaptation, and learning. In early 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic challenged the resilience of US healthcare systems due to the lack of equipment, supply interruptions, and a shortage of personnel. The purpose of this qualitative research was to describe resilience in the healthcare team during the COVID-19 pandemic with the healthcare team situated as a cognizant, singular source of knowledge and defined by its collective identity, purpose, competence, and actions, versus the resilience of an individual or an organization.MethodsWe developed a descriptive model which considered the healthcare team as a unified cognizant entity within a system designed for safe patient care. This model combined elements from the Patient Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety (SEIPS) and the Advanced Team Decision Making (ADTM) models. Using a qualitative descriptive design and guided by our adapted model, we conducted individual interviews with healthcare team members across the United States. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis and extracted codes were organized within the adapted model framework.ResultsFive themes were identified from the interviews with acute care professionals across the US (N = 22): teamwork in a pressure cooker, consistent with working in a high stress environment; healthcare team cohesion, applying past lessons to present challenges, congruent with transferring past skills to current situations; knowledge gaps, and altruistic behaviors, aligned with sense of duty and personal responsibility to the team. Participants’ described how their ability to adapt to their environment was negatively impacted by uncertainty, inconsistent communication of information, and emotions of anxiety, fear, frustration, and stress. Cohesion with co-workers, transferability of skills, and altruistic behavior enhanced healthcare team performance.ConclusionWorking within the extreme unprecedented circumstances of COVID-19 affected the ability of the healthcare team to anticipate and adapt to the rapidly changing environment. Both team cohesion and altruistic behavior promoted resilience. Our research contributes to a growing understanding of the importance of resilience in the healthcare team. And provides a bridge between individual and organizational resilience.

Exploring the challenges and risks of dead body handling faced by healthcare professionals during the coronavirus pandemic: Cross sectional survey study

The coronavirus pandemic shocked the already overwhelmed global healthcare system, challenging its preparedness to deal with mass fatalities. Our research examines the safety issues faced by healthcare workers when handling dead (deceased) bodies, highlighting the need for better strategies in the event of mass fatalities. Healthcare providers involved in dead body handling during the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S. were eligible to participate in our study. Using a web-based survey, we analyzed responses of 206 participants across 43 U.S. states. We used the Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety (SEIPS) framework to deduce themes from participants’ open-ended responses. The study showed how routine tasks become extraordinarily challenging during pandemic due to increased workload, emotional stress, and resource constraints. Tasks such as lifting and transferring bodies, underscored physical and emotional toll on workers. The mental strain induced by mass fatalities and the complexities of communicating with families and peers were also prominent, adding to the overall burden on healthcare workers. The participants emphasized the importance of specialized training, policy refinements, and improvements in its implementation. In conclusion, our study contributes to understanding the complexities of dead body handling during a pandemic. It underscores the need for emergency response planning and systemic changes in healthcare policies and practices to ensure the safety and well-being of healthcare workers engaged in these critical tasks.

Delivery Room Resuscitation of Infants with Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia: Lessons Learned through Video Review.

Delivery room (DR) interventions for infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) are not well described. This study sought to describe timing and order of DR interventions and identify system factors impacting CDH DR resuscitations using a human factors framework. Single center observational study of video recorded CDH DR resuscitations documenting timing and order of interventions. The team used the Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety (SEIPS) model to identify system factors impacting DR resuscitations and time to invasive ventilation. We analyzed 31 video recorded CDH resuscitations. We observed variability in timing and order of resuscitation tasks. The 'Internal Environment' and 'Tasks' components of the SEIPS model were prominent factors affecting resuscitation efficiency; significant room and bed spatial constraints exist, and nurses have a significant task burden. Additionally, endotracheal tube preparation was a prominent barrier to timely invasive ventilation. Video review revealed variation in event timing and order during CDH resuscitations. Standardization of room set-up, equipment, and event order and reallocation of tasks facilitate more efficient intubation and ventilation, representing targets for CDH DR improvement initiatives. This work emphasizes the utility of rigorous human factors review to identify areas for improvement during DR resuscitation.

Environmental cleaning and disinfection in the operating room: a systematic scoping review through a human factors and systems engineering lens.

To synthesize evidence and identify gaps in the literature on environmental cleaning and disinfection in the operating room based on a human factors and systems engineering approach guided by the Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety (SEIPS) model. A systematic scoping review. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, we searched 4 databases (ie, PubMed, EMBASE, OVID, CINAHL) for empirical studies on operating-room cleaning and disinfection. Studies were categorized based on their objectives and designs and were coded using the SEIPS model. The quality of randomized controlled trials and quasi-experimental studies with a nonequivalent groups design was assessed using version 2 of the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials. In total, 40 studies were reviewed and categorized into 3 groups: observational studies examining the effectiveness of operating-room cleaning and disinfections (11 studies), observational study assessing compliance with operating-room cleaning and disinfection (1 study), and interventional studies to improve operating-room cleaning and disinfection (28 studies). The SEIPS-based analysis only identified 3 observational studies examining individual work-system components influencing the effectiveness of operating-room cleaning and disinfection. Furthermore, most interventional studies addressed single work-system components, including tools and technologies (20 studies), tasks (3 studies), and organization (3 studies). Only 2 studies implemented interventions targeting multiple work-system components. The existing literature shows suboptimal compliance and inconsistent effectiveness of operating-room cleaning and disinfection. Improvement efforts have been largely focused on cleaning and disinfection tools and technologies and staff monitoring and training. Future research is needed (1) to systematically examine work-system factors influencing operating-room cleaning and disinfection and (2) to redesign the entire work system to optimize operating-room cleaning and disinfection.

A tale of 2 digital hospitals: A qualitative study of antimicrobial stewardship teams.

We aim to examine and understand the work processes of antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) teams across 2 hospitals that use the same digital intervention, and to identify the barriers and enablers to effective AMS in each setting. Employing a contextual inquiry approach informed by the Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety (SEIPS) model, observations and semistructured interviews were conducted with AMS team members (n= 15) in 2 Australian hospitals. Qualitative data analysis was conducted, mapping themes to the SEIPS framework. Both hospitals utilized similar systems, however, they displayed variations in AMS processes, particularly in postprescription review, interdepartmental AMS meetings and the utilization of digital tools. An antimicrobial dashboard was available at both hospitals but was utilized more at the hospital where the AMS team members were involved in the dashboard's development, and there were user champions. At the hospital where the dashboard was utilized less, participants were unaware of key features, and interoperability issues were observed. Establishing strong relationships between the AMS team and prescribers emerged as key to effective AMS at both hospitals. However, organizational and cultural differences were found, with 1 hospital reporting insufficient support from executive leadership, increased prescriber autonomy and resource constraints. Organizational and cultural elements, such as executive support, resource allocation and interdepartmental relationships, played a crucial role in achieving AMS goals. System interoperability and user champions further promoted the adoption of digital tools, potentially improving AMS outcomes through increased user engagement and acceptance.

Application of a Human Factors and Systems Engineering Approach to Explore Care Transitions of Sepsis Survivors From Hospital to Home Health Care.

This study aims to describe the transition-in-care work process for sepsis survivors going from hospitals to home health care (HHC) and identify facilitators and barriers to enable practice change and safe care transitions using a human factors and systems engineering approach. Despite high readmission risk for sepsis survivors, the transition-in-care work process from hospitals to HHC has not been described. We analyzed semi-structured needs assessment interviews with 24 stakeholders involved in transitioning sepsis survivors from two hospitals and one affiliated HHC agency participating in the parent implementation science study, I-TRANSFER. The qualitative data analysis was guided by the Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety (SEIPS) framework to describe the work process and identify work system elements. We identified 31 tasks characterized as decision making, patient education, communication, information, documentation, and scheduling tasks. Technological and organizational facilitators lacked in HHC compared to the hospitals. Person and organization elements in HHC had the most barriers but few facilitators. Additionally, we identified specific task barriers that could hinder sepsis information transfer from hospitals to HHC. This study explored the complex transition-in-care work processes for sepsis survivors going from hospitals to HHC. We identified barriers, facilitators, and critical areas for improvement to enable implementation and ensure safe care transitions. A key finding was the sepsis information transfer deficit, highlighting a critical issue for future study. We recommend using the SEIPS framework to explore complex healthcare work processes before the implementation of evidence-based interventions.

Receive, Sustain, and Flow: A simple heuristic for facilitating the identification and treatment of critically ill patients during their hospital journeys.

Hospital patients can become critically ill anywhere in a hospital but their survival is affected by problems of identification and adequate, timely, treatment. This is issue of particular concern in lower middle-income countries' (LMICs) hospitals where specialised units are scarce and severely under-resourced. "Cross-sectional" approaches to improving narrow, specific aspects of care will not attend to issues that affect patients' care across the length of their experience. A simpler approach to understanding key issues across the "hospital journey" could help to deliver life-saving treatments to those patients who need it, wherever they are in the facility. We carried out 31 narrative interviews with frontline health workers in five Kenyan and five Tanzanian hospitals from November 2020 to December 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic and analysed using a thematic analysis approach. We also followed 12 patient hospital journeys, through the course of treatment of very sick patients admitted to the hospitals we studied. Our research explores gaps in hospital systems that result in lapses in effective, continuous care across the hospital journeys of patients in Tanzania and Kenya. We organise these factors according to the Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety (SEIPS) approach to patient safety, which we extend to explore how these issues affect patients across the course of care. We discern three repeating, recursive phases we term Receive, Sustain, and Flow. We use this heuristic to show how gaps and weaknesses in service provision affect critically ill patients' hospital journeys. Receive, Sustain, and Flow offers a heuristic for hospital management to identify and ameliorate limitations in human and technical resources for the care of the critically ill.

“CAREGIVING IS TEAMWORK...” INFORMATION SHARING IN HOME CARE FOR OLDER ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES IN THE COMMUNITY

Abstract Direct care workers provide assistance with daily activities to persons with disabilities. Direct care workers are well positioned to recognize and share information about care gaps and changes in function and behaviors but are often viewed as unskilled and excluded from interdisciplinary care team interactions. We conducted 11 semi-structured interviews with administrators (n=5), nurses (n=3), and direct care workers (n=3) from home care agencies (“residential service agencies” in Maryland) to understand information sharing between direct care workers, family caregivers, and clinicians in home care delivery for older adults with disabilities, including those living with dementia. Thematic analysis was completed by the research team. Leveraging Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety (SEIPS) 2.0 model, a human factors framework, respondents highlighted aspects of information sharing across (1) work systems, (2) processes, and (3) dementia-related adaptations. Work system characteristics relevant to information sharing included the utilization of electronic management systems and patient portals to communicate within agencies and with clinicians and using multiple methods to gather information about client goals and preferences (e.g., assessments, client profiles). Process characteristics include collaborations between families and residential service agency staff to deliver optimal care. Direct care workers did not report differences in coordinating care for persons living with dementia, however they reported dementia-related adaptations like an increased need to establishing and sustaining strong relationships with family members and communicating with clinicians during medical visits. Findings highlight the care demands experienced by direct care workers and support calls to better coordinate information sharing between interdisciplinary care teams.

Moving behavioral interventions in nursing homes from planning to action: a work system evaluation of a urinary tract infection toolkit implementation

BackgroundImplementation evaluations based on a hybrid deductive-inductive approach provide a detailed understanding of organizational choices to introduce and implement complex interventions and may help explain implementation success or failure. However, such evaluations may not be feasible due to resource constraints. Qualitative analyses of artifacts collected for other purposes during implementation may represent a cost-effective method to understand program implementation when robust evaluations are not feasible. This study used a work systems evaluation of how nursing homes (NHs) implemented a urinary tract infection (UTI) recognition and management improvement toolkit.MethodsThirty NHs participated in a randomized control trial in which intervention NHs (n = 12) were assigned a clinical coach who employed a standard template to structure coach calls with the NH champion. A hybrid inductive-deductive approach, using the Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety (SEIPS) model, characterized three action domains related to (1) engagement of staff and providers, (2) distribution of toolkit elements, and (3) toolkit use.ResultsA total of 369 coded segments from 148 coach notes generated by three coaches working with 18 NH champions were examined. Planned changes (n = 203) were more frequent compared to actual changes (n = 169). While most NHs quickly engaged staff and providers, which leadership appeared to support, engagement actions were hindered in some NHs due to champion instability or extended champion or medical director absences. Dissemination of materials to family and providers and distribution of tools to staff occurred quickly in 75% of NHs, although delays were encountered in some NHs, usually because of champion instability.ConclusionsImplementing NH practice change is challenging, and studies examining actions to support planned versus actual change in this setting are limited. The application of the SEIPS model to coach notes collected during the implementation of a structured behavioral intervention to improve the recognition and management of UTI in NHs generated unique insights into the work system and how staff attempted to implement changes. This study identified several factors that interfered with progression from planning to actual change. Future studies are needed to better understand how to best support change interventions in NHs.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03520010, Registered May 9, 2018.

CancelRx case study: implications for clinic and community pharmacy work systems

BackgroundMedication prescribing and discontinuation processes are complex and involve the patient, numerous health care professionals, organizations, health information technology (IT). CancelRx is a health IT that automatically communicates medication discontinuations from the clinic electronic health record to the community pharmacy dispensing platform, theoretically improving communication. CancelRx was implemented across a Midwest academic health system in October 2017. The health system also operates 15 outpatient community pharmacies.ObjectiveThe goal of this qualitative study was to describe how both the clinic and community pharmacy work systems change and interact over time regarding medication discontinuations, before and after CancelRx implantation.ApproachMedical Assistants (n = 9), Community Pharmacists (n = 12), and Pharmacy Administrators (n = 3), employed by the health system were interviewed across 3-time periods between 2017 and 2018— 3-months prior to CancelRx implementation, 3-months after CancelRx implementation, and 9-months after CancelRx implementation. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and conducted a hybrid analysis with deductive content analysis following the Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety (SEIPS) framework and inductive analysis to capture additional codes and themes.Key resultsCancelRx changed the medication discontinuation process at both clinics and community pharmacies. In the clinics, the workflows and medication discontinuation tasks changed over time while MA roles and clinic staff communication practices remained variable. In the pharmacy, CancelRx automated and streamlined how medication discontinuation messages were received and processed, but also increased workload for the pharmacists and introduced new errors.ConclusionsThis study utilizes a systems approach to assess disparate systems within a patient network. Future studies may consider health IT implications for systems that are not in the same health system as well as assessing the role of implementation decisions on health IT use and dissemination.

Disparities in access to healthcare services in a regional neonatal transport network

IntroductionThe disproportionate distribution of healthcare resources in the U.S. leads to an annual estimated 68,000 critically-ill newborns transported to regional centers for intensive care. As described in the Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety (SEIPS) 3.0 framework, patients with limited access to healthcare experience multiple healthcare settings in their journey to specialty care. Little is known about community resources for transported neonatal patients in the Pacific Northwest region. MethodsTransport data from January 2014–December 2019 identified referral zip codes for transfers to a regional neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Using the SEIPS 3.0 framework to explore the journey of families experiencing neonatal complications, we linked referral zip codes to data on healthcare and resource access including: Health Transportation Shortage Index (HTSI); US Census Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates; public transportation availability; Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) and number of Federally Qualified Health Centers. Results1834 neonatal transports from 75 zip codes were analyzed. Forty percent of patients were transferred from a HPSA, one-quarter from areas with limited public transit availability (28%) and household internet access (24%). Almost all infants transferred from a high HTSI area (96%) were transported by air. ConclusionMany patients were referred from communities with high poverty and limited services. Improving patient outcomes requires population and policy level recommendations and care coordination between healthcare organizations and community services. Considering the patient family perspective within the SEIPS 3.0 framework will ensure patient centered care and an inclusive experience for families transitioning through healthcare settings.

Infection prevention and control in CT Part 2: Radiographers' and radiology nurses' perceptions of high-risk scenarios contributing to non-adherence to IPC protocols

IntroductionAdherence to standard and transmission-based precautions in the computed tomography (CT) setting is central to effective infection prevention and control (IPC), yet there is limited evidence about medical imaging (MI) professionals' self-reported predictors of IPC breaches. This is the second of a two-part series on IPC in the CT setting. Part 1 reported on Australian baseline data relating to intravenous contrast media administration and power injectors. Part 2 presents Australian radiographers' and radiology nurses' perceptions of clinical situations that reduce adherence to standard and transmission-based precautions in CT. MethodsA self-administered survey was distributed to Australian radiographers and radiology nurses working in CT. Responses to an open-ended question “If I was to not adhere to the standard and transmission-based precautions in the CT department, it is most likely when …” was analysed using inductive coding for themes, followed by deductive analysis mapped to the Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety (SEIPS) model. ResultsStudy participants (n = 136) were radiographers (n = 119; 87.5%) and nurses (n = 17; 12.5%). ‘Four themes were derived from the inductive analysis: (1) high-risk working conditions, (2) compliance with good practice, (3) attitudes and practice, and (4) quality of communication. Deductive analysis, using the SEIPS domains revealed that predominant issues related to ‘Tasks’ (43.7%) and ‘Organisation’ (30.6%) followed by issues related to ‘Person’ (16.9%), ‘Tools and technology’ (6.9%) and ‘Environment’ (1.9%). ConclusionMulti-faceted pressures on radiology staff may compromise adherence to standard and transmission-based precautions in CT. Task difficulty, time pressures whilst undertaking tasks, and reduced staffing could lead to lower adherence to standard and transmission-based precautions. Implications for practiceFuture studies that focus on evaluation of ‘Tasks’ and ‘Organisation’ domains of the SEIPS model may provide further insights to non-adherence behaviours in MI.

Adopting human factors in early phase and experimental medicine research: A nested pilot study observing controlled human infection with SARS-CoV-2.

The influence of human factors on safety in healthcare settings is well established, with targeted interventions reducing risk and enhancing team performance. In experimental and early phase clinical research participant safety is paramount and safeguarded by guidelines, protocolized care and staff training; however, the real-world interaction and implementation of these risk-mitigating measures has never been subjected to formal system-based assessment. Independent structured observations, systematic review of study documents, and interviews and focus groups were used to collate data on three key tasks undertaken in a clinical research facility (CRF) during a SARS CoV-2 controlled human infection model (CHIM) study. The Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety (SEIPS) was employed to analyse and categorize findings, and develop recommendations for safety interventions. High levels of team functioning and a clear focus on participant safety were evident throughout the study. Despite this, latent risks in both study-specific and CRF work systems were identified in all four SEIPS domains (people, environment, tasks and tools). Fourteen actionable recommendations were generated collaboratively. These included inter-organization and inter-study standardization, optimized checklists for safety critical tasks, and use of simulation for team training and exploration of work systems. This pioneering application of human factors techniques to analyse work systems during the conduct of research in a CRF revealed risks unidentified by routine review and appraisal, and despite international guideline adherence. SEIPS may aid categorization of system problems and the formulation of recommendations that reduce risk and mitigate potential harm applicable across a trials portfolio.

Sociotechnical Work System Approach to Occupational Fatigue.

Occupational fatigue is a characteristic of excessive workload and depicts the limited capacity to complete demands. The impact of occupational fatigue has been studied outside of health care in fields such as transportation and heavy industry. Research in health care professionals such as physicians, medical residents, and nurses has demonstrated the potential for occupational fatigue to affect patient, employee, and organizational outcomes. A conceptual framework of occupational fatigue that is informed by a sociotechnical systems approach is needed to (1) describe the multidimensional facets of occupational fatigue, (2) explore individual and work system factors that may affect occupational fatigue, and (3) anticipate downstream implications of occupational fatigue on employee well-being, patient safety, and organizational outcomes. The health care professional occupational fatigue conceptual framework is outlined following the Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety (SEIPS) model and adapted from the Conceptual Model of Occupational Fatigue in Nursing. Future research may apply this conceptual framework to health care professionals as a tool to describe occupational fatigue, identify the causes, and generate solutions. Interventions to mitigate and resolve occupational fatigue must address the entire sociotechnical system, not just individual or employee changes.

Using a Systems Engineering Approach to Study Processing Errors in Cytology Testing at a Cancer Clinic

Cancer patients are a high-risk population and often undergo strenuous testing. One type of testing is cytology testing, which is less invasive and simpler to attain than a traditional biopsy. However, there can be errors in the cytology testing process that can lead to a loss of results, thus a delay in treatment or retesting. The purpose of this work is to utilize a systems engineering approach to understand cytology testing ordering process and identify where errors may occur. The Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety (SEIPS) framework was utilized to make visual process maps with the use of SEIPS 101 tooling methods. The use of SEIPS 101 tools showed the relationships between the components of a work system. Handoff points, where information is at risk of being lost, were identified. Future work can look at the implementation of solutions to gather data on the quality improvement measures.

Systemic Analysis of Barriers of High Quality of Care in Telemonitoring: Integrating the Seips Framework and Fault Tree Analysis

Amid the COVID-19 outbreak, healthcare systems have undergone a transformation with telehealth playing a key role. There has been a dramatic shift in the use of telehealth due to its benefits including the convenience it has offered. With the use of telehealth to monitor patients’ health on the rise, it has become more critical to improve the quality of care by identifying and resolving barriers to virtual care delivery systems. In this study, we apply the Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety (SEIPS) 2.0 framework to systematically investigate telemonitoring implementation, as a main category of telehealth services, and identify barriers to high quality of care while monitoring care virtually. We analyze those barriers by capturing them across different work systems of the SEIPS framework, which are: people (patients, healthcare providers, nurses, telemonitoring staff), organization, tools and technology, tasks, internal environment, and external environment. We then, through some research, determine some of those barriers that are more influential and conduct Fault Tree Analysis to identify their root causes. Furthermore, some recommendations are provided to address the identified barriers and their root causes.

Patient, Caregiver, and Clinician Experience with a Technologically Enabled Pillbox: A Qualitative Study

Abstract Objectives As part of a study to assess whether a technologically enabled pillbox prescribed to patients at hospital discharge can improve medication safety, we sought to assess participant experiences with the intervention. Methods We conducted a series of semi-structured phone interviews with patients, patient caregivers, and inpatient and outpatient clinicians who participated in the Smart Pillbox Transition Study. We developed an interview guide using the Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety (SEIPS) framework, which included the a priori domains of (1) barriers to implementation, (2) facilitators of the intervention, and (3) general feedback regarding experience with the intervention. Within these domains, we employed SEIPS-informed themes of environment and organization, logistics and tasks, personnel and patients, and technology and tools. Interviews were conducted between May 2018 and January 2019. We used content analysis to interpret findings. Results We interviewed 6 patients, 2 caregivers, and 5 inpatient and 2 outpatient clinicians. Patient-endorsed barriers in the theme of technology and tools included signal issues, inappropriate alarms, and portability. Barriers in the theme of logistics and tasks included coordination with pharmacists in the event of a prescription change. Barriers mentioned by clinicians included patients who were poor fits for the intervention (theme: personnel and patients) and competing demands at discharge (theme: logistics and tasks). Facilitators that were frequently mentioned by patients and caregivers in the theme of technology and tools included useful alarms and ease of use. Clinicians stated that communication with pharmacy and study staff helped facilitate the intervention (theme: personnel and patients). Conclusion We identified several key barriers and facilitators from patients, caregivers, and clinicians to successful implementation of this intervention. Reconciling these sometimes contrasting viewpoints will be crucial if the Smart Pillbox or similar health information technology interventions are to be adopted as tools to improve medication safety during care transitions.

Considering Work Systems and Processes in Assessing the Impact of a CDSS Intervention: Preliminary Results.

The DetecIP project aims to implement multifactorial dynamic rules within a computerized decision support system (CDSS) for pharmaceutical analysis of orders to reduce the rate and severity of iatrogenic hyperkalemia and acute kidney injury. However, understanding the impact of this intervention (if any) requires that the way in which it influences the work systems and processes also be studied. This study presents the preliminary results of the analysis of the work contexts in which these rules will be implemented. A series of semi-structured interviews exploring the dimensions of the systems engineering initiative for patient safety (SEIPS) were conducted with healthcare professionals involved in the prevention and management of iatrogenic risks in five hospital units. Data were analyzed to identify current barriers and facilitators to the prevention and management of iatrogenic risks. Preliminary results from a geriatric unit and a cardiology unit reveal that, despite overall similarities in work processes, differences in the availability and location of physicians and clinical pharmacists influence how iatrogenic risks are managed. These contextual differences could influence the impact of the new CDSS rules once implemented.

Navigating Infection Control Processes in a COVID-19 Only Safety-Net Hospital at the Height of the Pandemic.

Hospitals faced extraordinary challenges during the pandemic. Some of these were directly related to patient care-expanding capacities, adjusting services, and using new knowledge to save lives in a dynamically changing situation. Other challenges were regulatory. The COVID-19 pandemic significantly disrupted routine hospital infection control practices. We report the results of an interview study with 13 individuals associated with infection control in a small independent hospital. We employed the Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety (SEIPS) model as a theoretical framework and as a basis to analyze data. The findings revealed how routine practices and protocols were displaced in notable ways. Due to COVID-19, clinical activities were modified, and the increased demands of regulatory reporting became laborious, and punitive if reports were late. Strategies are needed to mitigate increases in healthcare-associated infections. Our examination of the information flows, transformation, and needs shows areas in which digital tool creation and the use of a trained informatics workforce could ameliorate and automate many processes.