Our synergistic projects will engage health system-based re-engineering and design (R&D) of highly reliable (1) closed loop systems for high priority primary to external specialty referrals; (2) coordination systems for children with medical complexity undergoing surgery; (3) management systems for patients on chronic opioids; and (4) coordination systems for patients between hospital and homecare.

Diagnostic errors in primary care are costly and can be attributable to failures or delays in follow up on diagnostic testing, referrals, and patient symptoms. The proposed research seeks to “close the loop” on this public health problem by employing system engineering methods in three diverse healthcare practices to create a system that provides highly reliable follow-up of diagnostic tests, referrals, and symptom evolution.

The goal of this learning laboratory is to develop tools to engage patients, family, and professional care team members in reliable identification, assessment, and reduction of patient safety threats in real time, before they manifest in actual harm.