SSM Health St. Mary's Hospital - Madison, 2026 Quality
Safety Behaviors in Action: Every Voice Matters
This initiative highlights a multidisciplinary effort to strengthen psychological safety and reduce preventable harm by empowering staff to speak up. Through collaboration between Patient Safety, Operating Room leadership, and frontline teams, structured safety behaviors were embedded into daily practice using standardized tools, education, and real-time leadership support. The initiative improved reporting of safety events, increased near-miss identification, and reinforced accountability at all levels. By fostering a culture where every voice matters, the program advanced high-reliability principles and supported sustained improvements in patient and team safety.
DNR Done Right
This project addresses inconsistent interpretation and implementation of Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) orders within a large health system, which previously led to confusion, delays in care, and risk of unwanted resuscitation. Using a PDSA quality improvement framework, the team standardized DNR language, clarified expectations for clinical actions, and aligned workflows across inpatient settings. Education, policy updates, and collaboration with multidisciplinary stakeholders helped reduce ambiguity, improve staff confidence, and support patient-centered decision-making. The initiative resulted in clearer documentation, improved compliance with patient wishes, and a more reliable, ethically grounded approach to end-of-life care.
