Abstract for: System Dynamics Group Model Building: Solution to the Implementation Challenges in Hospital Patient-Safety Systems and Process

This is a research strategy designed specifically for a N.I.H. R21 grant application. The guidelines governing the structure of this paper are found in SF424 (R&R) Application Guide for NIH and other PHS Agencies. The critical purpose and significance of this project is to overcome the problem of failure in organizational implementation of new process improvements to improve hospital patient safety. Implementation, not clinical remedy, is the primary barrier to progress in patient safety and this conclusion is empirically based on research in patient safety outcomes conducted by RAND Health, a division of the RAND Corporation. This project will improve clinical practice in hospitals by providing a new method of attacking the organizational barriers to the implementation of new patient safety initiatives. The overall strategy is to create and adapt scripts for group model building to overcome Capability Traps and Self-Confirming Attribution Errors, to adapt these structural insights to the uniqueness of each hospital situation, and to use the resulting model insights to improve implementation success of patient safety process improvements.