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As part of the Implementing Diagnostic Excellence Across Systems (IDEAS) project, RAND is recruiting healthcare sites that have clinicians who can commit to using a diagnostic safety tool to improve patient engagement.

The Toolkit for Engaging Patients To Improve Diagnostic Safety is a diagnostic safety resource that guides patients through preparation for their visit and guides clinicians in active listening without interruption in the first minute of the patient encounter.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the Toolkit for Engaging Patients to Improve Diagnostic Safety?
• How does the toolkit improve diagnostic safety?
• Why should I (or my organization) participate in IDEAS?
• Who can participate?
• What is the timeline for IDEAS?
• What is needed from sites to participate in IDEAS?
• How will RAND support participating sites?
• How can I learn more?

What is the Toolkit for Engaging Patients To Improve Diagnostic Safety?

The Toolkit for Engaging Patients to Improve Diagnostic Safety is a resource developed by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) for both patients and clinicians. Diagnostic safety events are common in office-based settings, and most (79%) are related to the patient-clinician encounter, with more than half due to miscommunication.

Patients and clinicians can take simple steps to ensure clear communication during office visits and reduce diagnostic safety events. The patient component includes a worksheet to help patients prepare for their conversation with their clinician. The clinician component consists of a very brief training and one-page planning worksheet that helps them provide a full minute of active listening without interruption at the start of patient visits.

How does the toolkit improve diagnostic safety?

The Toolkit for Engaging Patients To Improve Diagnostic Safety combines two easy-to-launch approaches to improve patient-clinician communication. Together, the two strategies aim to build information sharing between patients and clinicians in office-based settings to improve diagnostic safety.

• Be the Expert on You (PDF, 423 KB): The patient-facing component of the toolkit is an easy-to-read one-page worksheet designed to help patients effectively communicate their story and symptoms. The worksheet can be delivered to patients in advance or by office staff when patients arrive.
• 60 Seconds To Improve Diagnostic Safety (PDF, 225 KB): The clinician-facing component of the toolkit includes a one-page worksheet to help plan implementation, as well as a slide deck and a brief training that teaches clinicians to use the first minute of the patient visit to listen to the patient tell their story before asking questions.

The toolkit was developed in collaboration with both patients and clinicians. Resources to support implementation, including patient worksheets, training materials, and implementation tips, are available on the AHRQ website.

Why should I (or my organization) participate in IDEAS?

• Improve patient engagement and experience in your healthcare organization while also focusing on diagnostic safety.
• Gain experience in improving clinicians' ability to gather information relevant to diagnosis using a patient-centered approach with support from the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) and other leading healthcare quality organizations.
• Build relationships and trust with patients and colleagues at your practice by demonstrating your commitment to diagnostic safety.
• Connect with and learn from other participating organizations through the project's Learning Collaborative.
• Reduce opportunities for legal claims and lawsuits related to diagnostic safety events.
• Contribute to the greater good by using and evaluating the Toolkit for Engaging Patients To Improve Diagnostic Safety in practice.
• Obtain free continuing education credits through our partner, IHI.
• Engage in activities in support of Maintenance of Certification requirements (applicable to clinicians in certain specialties).
• Receive a modest stipend as a small token of appreciation (for each participating site that completes the project).

Who can participate?

Any office-based practice with at least two to three clinicians willing to commit to testing the toolkit are invited to participate; primary care and specialty practices of any type are welcome.

What is the timeline for IDEAS?

Implementation of the Toolkit for Engaging Patients in Diagnostic Safety is expected to begin March 2025.

What is needed from sites to participate in IDEAS?

• Participate in this 2-year effort, with the first training starting in March 2025.
• Demonstrate site leadership support and commitment via a letter of support.
• Identify a site champion to coordinate project activities at the site and engage others.
• Demonstrate availability and commitment of at least two to three clinicians who are willing to be trained on and use the resource, participate in webinars to identify and address implementation challenges, and provide feedback on using the resource.
• Work through the one-page planning worksheet to make decisions about implementation (e.g., will clinicians use the 60 Seconds To Improve Diagnostic Safety approach for all patients or only specific patient populations?).
• Attest to willingness of administrative office staff to collect brief, anonymous patient surveys.
• Obtain Data Use Authorization and Institutional Review Board (IRB) approvals (if required by your site), or submit approval to defer to RAND’s IRB, in a timely manner.

How will RAND support participating sites?

• RAND and its partners will provide training (handouts and webinars) directly to all sites at the beginning of the project before implementation starts. Continuing education (CE) credits will be provided to participants who complete CE-eligible trainings.
• RAND will provide support during implementation that includes resource materials, patient and clinician surveys to measure progress, and implementation tips. Materials will be provided directly to participating sites and will be available on a secure learning platform.
• RAND will also facilitate a Learning Collaborative of participating sites, provide a dedicated email for questions, and offer “office hour” sessions with content experts, including healthcare improvement leaders from IHI.
• RAND will conduct analyses to determine the impact of the intervention and can share this information with your site at the end of the study.

How can I learn more?

Select the button below to ask for more information or to be enrolled in the study. You can also register for a live information webinar or email IDEASproject@rand.org.