Patient Safety · Human Factors · Decision-Making
Patient-Related Improvements in Safety Management through Human Factors and Decision-Making
PRISM-HD — Patient-Related Improvements in Safety Management through Human Factors and Decision-Making
✈ Aviation
About PRISM-HD: Eliminating Errors, Saving Lives
The PRISM-HD courses embed best practices from the Aviation Industry into Medicine, with the aim of reducing the number of avoidable deaths and adverse patient outcomes, by improving training and awareness surrounding Human Factors and Decision-Making.
Developed and delivered by Airline Pilots, Aviation Safety Specialists, and Healthcare Professionals, the PRISM-HD courses use immersive simulation to teach the principles of Human Factors and Decision-Making, translating the proven safety culture of aviation directly into clinical practice. Participants experience classroom sessions and immersive scenarios, using both a Boeing 737-800 flight simulator and a simulated resuscitation room or operating theatre, designed by aviation and medical experts. Heading up the medical training team are established consultants from London teaching hospitals, two of whom have worked on critical care air ambulances, one of them formerly Medical Director of five units. The team brings extensive expertise in training medical staff in Human Factors, using principles from the Aviation Industry.
The PRISM-HD Courses encompass the following areas:
Decision-Making under Pressure / in Ambiguity: Learn structured frameworks to make decisions with confidence in critical situations, while under pressure and with incomplete information.
Psychological Safety: Develop assertiveness and help create a culture where all team members feel confident to speak up and contribute.
Use aviation’s Crew Resource Management (CRM) techniques to improve communication skills, team-performance, and avoid confirmation bias.
Error Prevention, Mitigation and Recovery: Apply Threat and Error Management (TEM) techniques and comprehensive briefings to reduce preventable mistakes, leading to improved patient outcomes.
Team Function- Leadership and Membership: Develop flight deck-inspired leadership and followership skills for healthcare teams.
Develop techniques for maintaining overall Situational Awareness.
Why Aviation?
Aviation is widely regarded as the gold-standard industry in the development of Safety. A turning point in aviation safety was the introduction of Crew Resource Management in the 1970s, in collaboration with NASA, with the aim of reducing aviation accidents attributable to Human Error.
- Research from aircraft accidents and introduction of the Cockpit Voice Recorder in 1970s showed a Human Factors element was present in around 75% of aircraft accidents.
- Crew Resource Management training was first formally introduced in the US in 1981, and is now compulsory training for Airline Pilots. There has been a significant reduction in aircraft incidents since the introduction of CRM. PRISM-HD courses propel CRM principles from aviation into medicine using an immersive training environment.
“The principles that keep a aeroplane’s crew functioning at their best under extreme pressure are exactly what medicine needs to protect patients.”
%
Years of CRM development
%
Compulsory for airline pilots
Why is this critical for
medicine?
Latest research shows around 230 avoidable deaths per week in the NHS.
In addition to bereavement caused by the loss of loved ones, hospitals are sued by patients’ families when errors have cost lives.
In many cases, there are avoidable Human Errors in the sequence of events leading to adverse patient outcomes.
The PRISM-HD courses offer training from aviation experts to help medical practitioners develop effective strategies and non-technical competencies. The aim is to reduce the number of avoidable deaths, by embedding best practices in Human Factors and Decision-Making from the aviation industry.
The courses are designed by Airline Captains and Aviation Safety Experts, along with Medical Experts, ensuring the courses contain the most recent aviation industry recommendations, with optimum relevance to medical practice.
Outcomes
Apply aviation frameworks to clinical decision-making under pressure
Create and promote a culture of Psychological Safety, communicating clearly and confidently in high-stakes scenarios
Employ Crew Resource Management (CRM) techniques to improve communication skills, team-performance, and avoid confirmation bias
Learn Error Prevention and Mitigation techniques
Lead and follow effectively; build resilient teams
Maintain Situational Awareness
Improve patient safety and outcomes
Delivered by Experts
PRISM-HD is created by Flight Deck Strategic Solutions Ltd, in collaboration with Voyager Flight Simulation Ltd and Independent Sector Emergency Medical Ltd.
Our course facilitators include current Airline Pilots, Aviation Safety Experts, and Medical Experts committed to translating aviation safety culture into healthcare practice.