On October 1, The Office of Clinical Affairs and the Office of Patient Experience successfully launched the first of a two part, evidence based faculty professionalism program. The Co-worker Observation Reporting System (CORS) uses the co-worker complaint data from the Michigan Medicine Patient Safety Reporting System (RL) system to identify those physicians whose behavior falls outside of professionalism standards. Trained physician Peer Messengers have a brief “Cup of Coffee” conversation with the identified physicians to share data. Evidence indicates that these conversations reduce future coworker complaints by 83%. If a physician shows a pattern of repeated unprofessional behavior or commits an egregious act, then the complaint is escalated up the usual institutional authorities. As of November 30, 2019, Michigan Medicine has dispatched 23 Peer Messengers to have these brief meetings for the 33 reports received. The other ten reports received an alternative or escalated response.
In February, 2021, Patient Advocacy Response System or PARS, the second part of this program will kick off at Michigan Medicine. This program works much like CORS, but uses the patient complaint data from the Michigan Medicine Patient Safety Reporting System (RL) system to identify unprofessional physicians. Whereas CORS interventions can occur throughout the year, PARS reporting happens once each year. In PARS, a physician who has a pattern of concern, which means more patient complaints over 3 years than local and national comparative rates for their specialty, will receive a letter from a Peer Messenger with longer “Awareness Intervention” meeting. The physician’s individual data as well as the local and national data will be reviewed during meeting. Again, the vast majority of physicians respond to this first intervention with future patient complaints reduced by 80%.
Background
PARS/CORS program is an evidence-based professionalism program developed by Vanderbilt University’s Center for Patient and Professional (CPPA) and implemented at over 180 hospitals and academic health centers across the country to help provide early awareness of professionalism and behavioral concerns for healthcare professionals.
If you have questions about the program, please contact DeAnn VanSickle ([email protected]) or Keith Gran ([email protected]). As team members in a high reliability organization, please report any professionalism or patient safety concerns to the Compliance Hotline 734-615-4400 or via the RL System.