Rewiring your thinking on measuring and monitoring of patient safety.

 Patient safety refers to more than just looking at harm that has occurred in the past. Understanding the difference between the absence of harm and the presence of safety is essential and requires a broader view of safety.

The Measurement and Monitoring Safety Framework, created by Professor Charles Vincent and colleagues from the Health Foundation, consists of five dimensions that organizations, units, or individuals including leaders, providers, patients and families can use to understand, guide and improve patient safety. This new approach assesses and evaluates safety from "ward to board" by providing a comprehensive and accurate real-time view of patient safety. The Framework helps users move from "assurance" to "inquiry" by shifting away from a focus on past cases of harm towards current performance, future risks and organizational resiliency.

"The MMS Framework shifted safety for us from a policy perspective to a day-to-day care-provider and patient interaction. It led to ownership, engagement and passion."

Dr. Jan Sommers, Nova Scotia Health Authority