QUALITY AND SAFETY

The Department of Emergency Medicine continues to strive toward its goal to provide the highest levels of patient satisfaction, technical quality, safety, and efficiency. Each year the Emergency Department (ED) takes on programs, projects and changes that reflect the department's continual commitment to high standards and assurance of departmental and individualized quality and safety.

In November 2008, the department began its implementation of an electronic medical record system in the ED. The Cerner Corporation's FirstNet system will bring together in one central location the ED's patient tracking, nursing, physician orders and documentation. FirstNet will also continue to be the biggest quality improvement effort over the next several months. It will optimize communication, provide real-time information to physicians during the patients' initial care and assessment, and enhance transitions of care. Ultimately, FirstNet will help ensure and drive the ED's current and future standards of quality.

On an individual level, the department has begun implementing professional performance evaluations of its physicians and their care. The department's work does not end there, but includes a range of quality and safety initiatives that contributes to the department's overall excellence in providing high quality emergency care to the citizens of Chicago a dedication to continuous performance improvement. Christopher Beach, MD, Vice Chairman of the Emergency Department coordinates with other faculty in developing and working through these various quality and safety projects under the direction of the Chairman, James Adams, MD. This group includes Michael Schmidt, MD; Rahul Khare, MD; Amer Aldeen, MD; John Vozenilik, MD; Peter Pang, MD; and Martin Lucenti, MD. We are pleased to have a strong, nationally-recognized group of clinician-investigators who are committed to assuring our patients receive the highest quality of emergency care in the safest manner.

Physician Team

Christopher Beach, MD Vice Chair  Assistant Professor	Michael Schmidt, MD Director, Operations Assistant Professor	Rahul Khare, MD Asst Director, Operations Assistant Professor	Amer Aldeen, MD Asst Director, Residency Assistant Professor
Peter Pang, MD Assoc. Chief, Clinical Affairs Assistant Professor	Martin Lucenti, MD Vice Chair, Operations Assistant Professor	John Vozenilik, MD, FACEP Director, Simulation Tech & Immersive Learning, Office of Med. Education Assistant Professor

Quality Improvement

Quality improvements within the ED seek to understand, control and improve processes in a normally functioning and reliable system. The department has made major efforts on various areas. Many of the department's physicians' projects were showcased at the 2008 Annual Quality Day and awarded for their advancement in quality improvement. 

The ED's major efforts in quality improvement.

Projects acknowledged and showcased in Quality Day 2008.

Physicians awarded for their outstanding work in quality improvement.

Safety Improvement

Safety is a proactive attribute to mitigate and prevent patient or professional harm. The ED is committed to identifying high-risk illnesses or systemic processes that may result in patient harm. The ED is currently focusing on high-impact areas such as communication deficiencies, transitions in care, and medication safety.

A list of the ED's safety initiatives.

Quality and Safety Resources

A list of outside Quality and Safety resources.