December 19, 2002

National Patient Safety Foundation Awards Research Grants
Joint effort with the American Medical Association, Commonwealth Fund and The Donaghue Foundation funds three patient safety research grants.

Chicago — The National Patient Safety Foundation (NPSF) has teamed up with the American Medical Association (AMA), Commonwealth Fund and The Donaghue Foundation to award nearly $300,000 for three new research projects aiming to improve patient safety.

The collaboration between the NPSF, AMA, Commonwealth Fund and The Donaghue Foundation demonstrates the deep desire to improve patient safety through support of research, especially in the times of a fragile economy. While each of the foundations individually emphasizes the importance of patient safety research in their own endeavors, this partnership allows them to make a greater impact together than would be possible as separate entities.

"Acting as a team of organizations in support of patient safety research is a metaphor for the kind of teamwork that is needed to make the healthcare system safer," explains Jeffrey B. Cooper, PhD, Chair of the NPSF Research Program and Director of Biomedical Engineering at the Partners Healthcare System in Boston. "These research grants demonstrate that the NPSF and its partners are committed to supporting the next generation of patient safety leaders."

The 2003 Research Grants include:

• Transitions in Care: Emergency Department Sign-overs
• Talking to Patients about Medical Errors
• Clinical Decision Support to Reduce Adverse Drug Events in High Risk Home Care Patients

The NPSF Research Program has sponsored independent, investigator-driven research grants since 1998. Since its inception, the program has received over 400 Letters of Intent proposing various mechanisms to improve patient safety. Fifteen interdisciplinary teams have been funded to date, representing and addressing a wide variety of topics. Eight of the studies are already completed.

For the sixth consecutive year, the NPSF is soliciting Letters of Intent (LOI) for Proposals targeting research projects that enhance patient safety. For more information, please visit http://www.npsf.org

About the 2002 Research Grants

Transitions in Care: Emergency Department Sign-overs

The NPSF Research Program annually awards one grant in the memory of James S. Todd, MD, who as Executive Vice President of the AMA was instrumental in developing and launching the NPSF. This year, this award has been co-sponsored by the NPSF, AMA, and the Commonwealth Fund. The recipients of this award are the team of researchers from the University of Florida, Health Science Center in Jacksonville: Shawna Perry, MD, FACEP (Principal Investigator), P.G. Croskerry, MD, PhD, M. Shapiro, MD, C. Beach, MD, R.L Wears, MD, M. Vanderhoef, RN, MSN, R. Behara, PhD, A. Murphy, PhD, and E. Eisenberg, PhD. The study titled Transitions in Care: Emergency Department Sign-overs will examine the transitions of care that occur at shift changes in the emergency department.

The information gained will improve understanding of these critical moments for the process of care in the ED. The investigators will use the information to develop approaches to turnover processes that meet the clinicians' needs for information and lower the opportunity for failures.

"Communication failures are one of the leading causes of medical errors, yet thus far we know very little about the strengths and weaknesses of communication structures in clinical practice. The AMA is very pleased to support this important area of research," said Dr. Donald J. Palmisano, President- Elect of the American Medical Association, and a member of the NPSF board of directors.

Talking to Patients about Medical Errors

Commonwealth Fund also co-sponsored a research grant for the team of investigators from The Meyers Primary Care Institute, a joint endeavor of the Fallon Healthcare System and the University of Massachusetts Medical School, in Worcester, Massachusetts: Kathleen M. Mazor, EdD (Principal Investigator), Jerry H. Gurwitz, MD and George W. Reed, PhD. Their study, titled Talking to Patients about Medical Errors, will bring a patient-focused, evidence-based approach to discussions about disclosure of medical error. The study will gather information on patient preferences, the impact of specific communication strategies, and attitudes and beliefs about medical error. This information will guide providers in informing patients of medical errors and will help to reduce the barriers to openly discussing errors and preventable injuries.

"This project will enable patients to take an active role in their care," said Mary Jane Korin, Senior Program Officer of the Commonwealth Fund. "Studies enhancing patient involvement and improving patient-provider interaction are essential and have been under-represented in patient safety research to this point."

Clinical Decision Support to Reduce Adverse Drug Events in High Risk Home Care Patients

In its efforts to enhance patient safety in the state of Connecticut, The Donaghue Foundation joined NPSF in co-sponsoring the study Clinical Decision Support to Reduce Adverse Drug Events in High Risk Home Care Patients. The investigators of this Masonic Healthcare Center team include James O. Judge, MD (Principal Investigator), Jane LaPrino, Barbara Banning, Pharm D, Kathy White, RPh, Donna Galluzo, Cheryl Leslie, RN, MPH and Cora Zombrzuski, RN, MS. This project will extend the concept of a Computerized Physician Order Entry system with Clinical Decision Support (CDS) in the hospital and nursing home into a new setting — homecare, and a population at high risk — patients requiring home care following a hospitalization. The study will determine what components of disease guidelines will be included in the CDS and how the CDS report will be communicated to primary care offices.

"We welcome the opportunity to work with the NPSF," said Raymond S. Andrews, Jr., the Trustee of the Donaghue Foundation. "Their national perspective and experience are helpful as we work to expand patient safety research in Connecticut. By having common goals, we can improve health care in Connecticut and elsewhere."

About the National Patient Safety Foundation

The National Patient Safety Foundation was founded in 1996 by the American Medical Association, CNA HealthPro, 3M, and contributions from the Schering-Plough Corporation. The NPSF is an independent, nonprofit research and education organization. It is an unprecedented partnership of health care practitioners, institutional providers, health product providers, health product manufacturers, researchers, legal advisors, patient/consumer advocates, regulators, and policy makers committed to making health care safer for patients. Through leadership, research support, and education, the NPSF is committed to making patient safety a national priority. For more information, please visit www.npsf.org.

About the American Medical Association

The American Medical Association is the nation's largest and oldest physician membership organization. Founded in 1847, its core purpose is to promote the art and science of medicine and the betterment of public health.

About the Commonwealth Fund

The Commonwealth Fund is a private foundation that supports independent research on health and social issues and makes grants to improve health care practice and policy. The Fund's two national program areas are improving health insurance coverage and access to care and improving the quality of health care services.

About the Donaghue Foundation

The Patrick and Catherine Weldon Donaghue Medical Research Foundation is a charitable trust that was established by Ethel Donaghue in memory of her parents. The Foundation is dedicated to furthering the search for medical knowledge of practical benefit to human life and to the quality of the lives of people, particularly in Connecticut. The Foundation focuses on initiatives in and for the state to strengthen research on health issues, to promote future research leadership, and to put new knowledge to work for public benefit.

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