MedStar to Design, Develop and Test Guide for Improving Patient Safety

COLUMBIA, MD--(Marketwired - Jan 4, 2016) - A team of MedStar Health researchers has been awarded a 38-month contract from the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to design, develop, pilot, and disseminate a guide for improving patient safety in primary care settings by engaging patients and families in their care. The award is through AHRQ's ACTION III (Accelerating Change and Transformation in Organizations and Networks) research network.

Research suggests that while there have been significant advancements in hospital-based patient and family involvement in patient safety, the role of patient and family engagement in primary care-based settings lags behind. The team, assembled by MedStar ACTION III project leads, will build a robust, scalable, and influential guide for patients and families for the primary care setting. MedStar's experienced investigators, Kelly Smith, PhD, and Christine Goeschel, ScD, MPA, MPS, RN, FAAN, and patient and family investigator Martin Hatlie, JD, have collaborated extensively for more than a decade on initiatives that engage patients and families in improving healthcare safety.

The project incorporates the strengths of a diverse research team and leverages network partners, including CVS Health, Prince George's County Health Department, the Clinical Directors Network (CDN) practice-based research network, Georgetown University, Consumers Advancing Patient Safety and dissemination partners Iowa Healthcare Collaborative and Telligen Inc.

"MedStar Health is dedicated to bringing the community voice into our quality and safety initiatives through the efforts of Christine Goeschel, Kelly Smith and Martin Hatlie. We look forward to collaborating with the ACTION III Network to extend this critical work even further into the growing ambulatory care setting," says David Mayer, MD, vice president of Quality and Safety, MedStar Health.

With 10 hospitals, 20 diversified healthcare entities, more than 200 service locations, and 6,000 physicians, MedStar Health provides care to one of the most culturally and socioeconomically diverse areas in the United States. The Research Institute continues to be among the top 20 percent of U.S. institutions receiving funds from the National Institutes of Health and other federal agencies.

About MedStar Health
MedStar Health is a not-for-profit health system dedicated to caring for people in Maryland and the Washington, D.C. region, while advancing the practice of medicine through education, innovation and research. MedStar's 30,000 associates, 6,000 affiliated physicians, 10 hospitals, ambulatory care and urgent care centers, and the MedStar Health Research Institute are recognized regionally and nationally for excellence in medical care. As the medical education and clinical partner of Georgetown University, MedStar trains more than 1,100 medical residents annually. MedStar Health's patient-first philosophy combines care, compassion and clinical excellence with an emphasis on customer service. For more information, visit MedStarHealth.org.

About MedStar Health Research Institute
The MedStar Health Research Institute is the research arm of MedStar Health, the largest healthcare provider in Maryland and the Washington, D.C. region. The Research Institute provides scientific, administrative and regulatory support for research programs throughout the MedStar Health system. Its expertise includes translational research into disease prevention, diagnosis and treatment. These programs complement the key clinical services and teaching programs in the 10 MedStar hospitals and other MedStar entities. Visit us at www.medstarresearch.org.