• History





    The PARS® tool codes and analyzes surveillance data (e.g. patient/family complaints) to identify healthcare professionals that may be at risk of malpractice claims, or demonstrate a pattern of unnecessary variation in behavior/performance.

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  • Research





    Anonymously aggregating and analyzing data from over 70 healthcare systems, medical groups and hospitals allows CPPA researchers to improve the PARS system, modify intervention procedures, and test new applications.

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  • Education





    Each year CPPA Faculty present more than 200 education and training programs to help professionals develop skills in AE/medical error disclosure, patient-provider communications, and professionalaccountability.

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  • Intervention Services




    Dr. Hickson began conducting research in 1978 on why patients/families sue their doctors. Across campus, Dr. Pichert was researching provider-patient communication. They and their collaborators have regularly published new information and findings.




    Dr. Hickson began conducting research 1979 on why patients/families sue their doctors. Across campus, Dr. Pichert was researching provider-patient communication. They and their collaborators have regularly published new information and findings.

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Recently, we hosted visitors from:

Mission Health, Asheville, NC to share experiences of promoting professional accountability with the PARS model. Their comments from the visit enthuse us. We appreciate their kind words, and look forward to continuing to work together.

"What a wonderful experience to participate in dialogue/conversation with you and your Vanderbilt team last Thursday and Friday!  It was a transformational experience for many of our physician leaders and provided a model for how to navigate the journey....  The genuine and authentic way you and your team presented the content made it real and contagious for our team. We have been honored to work with you and look forward to many more interactions as we diffuse the "cup of coffee" model and the disclosure work.  This work will undoubtedly benefit our patients, families, and our caregivers--thank you for this opportunity." SVP, Chief Quality Officer, Mission Health

CPPA Faculty are visiting PARS Partners, promoting professional accountability, or teaching disclosure skills in:

Did you know that PARS®...

  • is used in over 70 hospitals, medical groups and healthcare systems across the U.S. to address disruptive behavior and patterns of unnecessary variation in behavior/performance that are critical to patient safety and healthcare quality?
  • reduces risk of malpractice claims?
  • improves nurse retention?
  • is a validated Tool that analyzes unsolicited patient complaints to identify healthcare professionals that may be at risk for malpractice-- and an evidence-based Process that provides a system of tiered interventions to address healthcare professionals' behavior and performance?

What else would you like to know about PARS® (Patient Advocacy Reporting System®)? Ask us.

You are in a leadership position and you learn of the following event...

Nurse X (Surgical Circulator) attempted to call a time out prior to start of procedure on patient JD, age 57. Team members did not acknowledge the request. They continued prepping and carried on side conversations. Nurse X tried again. Then Dr. Surgeon mumbled aloud:

All this stupid B*S* just to start a d*** case. We’re all on the same page here…let’s begin,

and started another conversation.

Are you prepared to address this in a way that is consistent with a culture of safety?

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Upcoming Events

Recent News RSS

October 9-10, 2013 - Gerald Hickson, MD, along with other Vanderbilt Faculty presents the CPPA program: Promoting Professional Accountability: Dealing with Behaviors that Undermine a Culture of Safety. Register online here.

October 10-12, 2013 - Join CPPA faculty and staff in the PARS Summit 2013.

November 1, 2013 - James Pichert, PhD, presents The How and When of Communicating about Unexpected outcomes and Errors.

June 20-21, 2014 - Gerald Hickson, MD, along with other Vanderbilt Faculty presents the CPPA program: Promoting Professional Accountability: Dealing with Behaviors that Undermine a Culture of Safety.

Have you read....


Painter, Kim, USA TODAY, April 20, 2013: When doctors are bullies, patient safety may suffer. Studies ...have found that 5% of physicians in any health care organization account for more than a third of complaints from patients and for 40% of malpractice claims, says Gerald Hickson

Porucznik MA. How to deal with the "problem physicians": 2012 AAOS Fall Meeting symposium focuses on crucial conversation tips.

Kynes JM, Schildcrout JS, Hickson GB, Pichert JW, Han X, Ehrenfeld JM, Westlake MW, Catron T, St. Jacques P. An analysis of risk factors for patient complaints about ambulatory anesthesiology care. Anesth Analg. 2013 Jun; 116(6):1325-1332. PMID:23385054

Hickson GB, Pichert JW. Chapter 28: Identifying and addressing physicians at high risk for medical malpractice claims. In: Youngberg B, ed. Patient Safety Handbook, 2nd ed. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning; 2013:347-368.

Sanfey H, DaRosa DA, Hickson GB, Williams B, Sudan R, Boehler ML, et al. Pursuing professional accountability: An evidence-based approach to addressing residents with behavioral problems. Arch Surg. 2012;147(7):642-647. PMID: 22802059

 


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