By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON -- The Defense Department has trained thousands of military health care providers to employ a quality management system that's designed to minimize human errors in hospital operating and delivery rooms, a senior defense official said Jan. 11.

The Team Strategies and Tools to Enhance Performance and Patient Safety, or Team STEPPS, program stresses teamwork and communication among doctors, nurses and other healthcare givers to improve quality, safety and efficiency across military health care, said Dr. David N. Tornberg, deputy assistant secretary of defense for clinical and program policy, in an interview with the American Forces Press Service.

"Providing the optimum, cutting-edge care to our beneficiaries is what this is all about," Tornberg said. "And, I'm proud to say that the Department of Defense and the military healthcare system are absolute leaders in enhancing a culture of safety in our military treatment facilities."

The Air Force Medical Service is no stranger to crew resource management (CRM), according to Lt. Col. Kathryn L. Robinson, Air Force Patient Safety Program manager, who works at the Air Force Medical Operations Agency at Bolling AFB, D.C.

"Medical Team Management started in 1998 and, within 2 years, had over 2,000 healthcare attendees," she said. "In 2004, the DOD Healthcare Team Coordination Program rolled out TeamSTEPPS, a program that evolved from CRM and industry teamwork initiatives. The Air Force quickly embraced this newest communication project.

"At this time, all Air Force hospitals have implemented TeamSTEPPS or its predecessor, MEDTEAMS. TeamSTEPPS is one more way the AFMS strives to provide the highest quality of patient care to Air Force beneficiaries."

Use of Team STEPPS creates "an environment where people broadly communicate and have a clear understanding of the goals and objectives of the team," Tornberg said.

Establishing a culture of patient-centered care through the use of teamwork and enhanced communication among healthcare employees is absolutely vital, Tornberg said.

"Miscommunication clearly is associated with medical errors," he said.

More than 5,000 healthcare givers at more than 80 military treatment facilities in the continental United States have received TeamSTEPPS instruction in the last three years, Tornberg said. And now, about 1,000 trainers and coaches are teaching the concept at other military hospitals and clinics.

The program has been "incredibly well-received" by military healthcare givers, Tornberg said.

The training system was developed from more than 20 years of experience in the aviation, military, nuclear power, healthcare, business and other safety-conscious industries, Tornberg said.

The DOD is collaborating with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality to make Team STEPPS available to the public health care industry, he said.

The military health system operates 72 hospitals and more than 500 medical and dental clinics administering care to more than 9.3 beneficiaries, according to DOD documents.