Christiana Care launches Project CandOR

In a packed grand rounds and kickoff event in the John H. Ammon Medical Education Center auditorium on Tuesday, July 29, Christiana Care launched its participation in Project CandOR: Communication and Optimal Resolution, an innovative, two-year demonstration project to help us support patients through open communication and optimal resolution when an investigation reveals unexpected patient harm.

Funded by the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Christiana Care is one of only three health systems in the nation — in addition to Dignity Health and Med Star — partnering with the Health Research & Educational Trust of the American Hospital Association to participate in Project CandOR.

In introductory remarks, Janice Nevin, M.D., MPH, chief medical officer for Christiana Care, recognized representatives of U.S. Sen. Tom Carper in attendance. U.S. Sen. Carper, who follows patient safety and medical liability issues in Congress, originally connected keynote speaker Tim McDonald, M.D., JD, with Christiana Care leadership. In 2012, Dr. McDonald spoke at the Focus on Excellence Awards where he addressed the “Seven Pillars” project, one of several initiatives used to develop Project CandOR.

Dr. Nevin noted the similar characteristics of Project CandOR and The Christiana Care Way.

“In the second line of The Christiana Care Way, there are some key words — innovative, effective and value — that we find in Project CandOR,” Dr. Nevin said. “But there are key words in the first line of The Christiana Care Way that really reflect this project as it is a respectful, expert, caring partnership that we have with our neighbors.”

Now the medical director of Quality and Safety at Sidra Medical and Research Center in Qatar, Dr. McDonald praised Christiana Care’s leadership team and employees for their commitment to patient safety, quality and integrity.

“It really warms my heart to see how far you’ve come in doing things that very few hospitals around the country are doing,” said Dr. McDonald, also the chair of anesthesiology at Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar.

In addition to enhancing our commitment to patient- and family-centered care, Project CandOR supports our culture of responsibility and promotes our learning and reporting culture.

“We have never seen a more engaged team than we have seen here at Christiana Care. Your health system is so organized and so committed to patient safety, and I can tell that patient safety is in the DNA of everybody here.”

With other project participants, Christiana Care is developing and implementing a toolkit of educational resources to help investigate medical error and provide harmed patients with appropriate and timely compensation, if necessary, and avoid future injuries and deliver overall safer care.

Project CandOR includes concepts such as communication, process improvement and caring for the caregiver. Key components of Project CandOR include development of key staff as trainers, an evaluation of our culture of safety, implementation of the toolkit and education of employees on all levels.

“We have never seen a more engaged team than we have seen here at Christiana Care,” Dr. McDonald said. ”Your health system is so organized and so committed to patient safety, and I can tell that patient safety is in the DNA of everybody here.”

The Ammon auditorium was at overflow capacity for the event, which also was videoconferenced to Christiana Care’s Wilmington campus. Video screens broadcast vignettes from patients and families who are supportive of the concepts of Project CandOR. Camera crews captured Dr. McDonald’s talk and feedback from Christiana Care employees, and video from the event will be available to staff via Christiana Care’s Quality and Safety intranet site at a later date.