Skip to main content
Log in

Safety coaches in radiology: decreasing human error and minimizing patient harm

  • Practice Innovation
  • Published:
Pediatric Radiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Successful programs to improve patient safety require a component aimed at improving safety culture and environment, resulting in a reduced number of human errors that could lead to patient harm. Safety coaching provides peer accountability. It involves observing for safety behaviors and use of error prevention techniques and provides immediate feedback. For more than a decade, behavior-based safety coaching has been a successful strategy for reducing error within the context of occupational safety in industry. We describe the use of safety coaches in radiology. Safety coaches are an important component of our comprehensive patient safety program.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Geller ES (2001) Keys to behavior-based safety. ABS Consulting Government Institutes, Rockville, MD

    Google Scholar 

  2. Wiegand DM (2007) Exploring the role of emotional intelligence in behavior-based safety coaching. J Safety Res 38:391–398

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Geller ES (2001) Behavior-based safety in industry: realizing the large-scale potential of psychology to promote human welfare. Appl Prev Psychol 10:87–105

    Google Scholar 

  4. Krause TR, Seymour KJ, Sloat KC et al (1999) Long-term evaluation of a behavior-based method for improving safety performance: a meta-analysis of 73 interrupted time-series replications. Saf Sci 32:1–18

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Hoover J, DiSilvestro RP (2005) The art of constructive confrontation. Wiley, Hoboken, NJ

    Google Scholar 

  6. Donnelly LF, Dickerson JM, Goodfriend MA et al (2009) Improving patient safety: effects of a safety program on performance and culture in a department of radiology. AJR 193:165–171

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Maxfield D, Grenny J, McMillan R et al (2005) Silence kills: the seven crucial conversations for healthcare. Provo, UT:VitalSmarts. Available via www.silencekills.com/PDL/SilenceKills.pdf. Accessed 07 April 2010

  8. Patterson K, Grenny J, McMillan R et al (2002) Crucial conversations: tools for talking when the stakes are high. McGraw-Hill, New York

    Google Scholar 

  9. Yates GR, Hochman RF, Sayles SM et al (2004) Sentara Norfolk General Hospital: accelerating improvement by focusing on building a culture of safety. Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf 30:534–542

    Google Scholar 

  10. Yates GR, Bernd DL, Sayles SM et al (2005) Building and sustaining a system wide culture of safety. Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf 31:684–689

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Bagain JP (2006) Patient safety: lessons learned. Pediatr Radiol 36:287–290

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Mohr JJ, Ableson JT, Barach P (2002) Creating effective leadership for improving patient safety. Qual Manag Health Care 11:69–78

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Kahlon PS (2006) Patient safety: a collaborative, blame-free, team approach. Radiol Manage 28:47–50

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Dalton GD, Samaropoulos XF, Dalton AC (2008) Improvements in the safety of patient care can help end the medical malpractice crisis in the United States. Health Policy 86:153–162

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Phimister JR, Bier VM, Kunreuther HC (2004) Accident precursor analysis and management: reducing technological risk through diligence. National Academies Press, Washington

    Google Scholar 

  16. Fleming-Carroll B, Matlow A, Dooley S et al (2006) Patient safety in a pediatric centre: partnering with families. Healthc Q 9:96–101

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Dudson DW, Sexton JB, Thomas EJ et al (2009) A safety culture primer for the critical care clinician. The role of culture in patient safety and quality improvement. Contemporary Critical Care 7:1–14

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lane F. Donnelly.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Dickerson, J.M., Koch, B.L., Adams, J.M. et al. Safety coaches in radiology: decreasing human error and minimizing patient harm. Pediatr Radiol 40, 1545–1551 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00247-010-1704-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00247-010-1704-9

Keywords

Navigation