Opportunities for credentialing in patient safety should increase with the merger of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) with the National Patient Safety Foundation (NPSF), says NPSF President and CEO Tejal K. Gandhi, MD, MPH, CPPS.
Effective May 1, the merger of the two groups is a “game-changing” opportunity for professionals involved with patient safety, Gandhi says.
Gandhi notes that NPSF and IHI each have a history of raising awareness around patient safety issues and educating the healthcare workforce about best practices. Though each group offered distinct programs, they were compatible and shared common goals, she says.
“For the frontline provider, you really shouldn’t see any difference in what NPSF offers with membership and certification,” Gandhi says. “We’re hoping to expand the benefits of these offerings because IHI has so much that it provides as well. The goal is going to be to grow all of these offerings by combining our resources.”
One driver for the merger was the desire to minimize confusion among healthcare professionals, who sometimes wondered when to work with NPSF and when to work with IHI, she says. The merged group will provide “one-stop shopping” for patient safety resources and opportunities, she says.
Anyone seeking or holding the NPSF patient safety credential can continue as before. The only difference will be that there should be more opportunities for the required education, Gandhi says.
“We expect to grow and get more certificate applicants, both nationally and internationally,” Gandhi says. “Recertification requires getting credit for certain activities, so we’re going to try to have IHI offerings count for recertification, which will mean more opportunities for meeting those recertification requirements. People should see more resources and tools they can use to accelerate their progress in patient safety.”
The merger involves significant new investment from IHI in patient safety, she says. Gandhi will lead the merged patient safety teams, which will combine existing NPSF and IHI patient safety programs. All NPSF programs, including the NPSF Lucian Leape Institute and the Certified Professional in Patient Safety credentialing program, will continue, Gandhi says.
IHI President and CEO Derek Feeley will lead the combined organization, which he says will help reenergize the patient safety movement. Patient safety competes for attention and resources with other important issues such as value-driven care and population health, he noted in a statement accompanying the merger announcement. By joining forces, IHI and NPSF will be more effective in ensuring that patient safety remains a priority, he says.
SOURCE
- Tejal K. Gandhi, MD, MPH, CPPS, NPSF President and CEO, Boston. Telephone: (617) 391-9900.
