Implementing communication and resolution programs: Lessons learned from the first 200 hospitals

The Communication and Optimal Resolution toolkit contains implementation guidance for communication and resolution programs that are comprehensive, principled, and systematic approaches to the prevention and response to patient harm that includes the open and honest communication of inappropriate care to patients and families that is coupled with financial compensation and the commitment to future prevention. The toolkit was released by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality in May 2016. The authors describe their experiences with implementing communication and resolution programs with all of the components of Communication and Optimal Resolution and other communication and resolution program best practices in over 200 hospitals. Lessons learned include the ability to predict and discover actual barriers to full implementation and strategies for overcoming them are shared. Future considerations for further dissemination and spread are discussed.

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