An AI tool was used to translate this article from German.

A prudent organization that introduces a CIRS pursues different goals. As a forward-thinking software manufacturer, we have already addressed a number of your challenges. In consultation with specialists on site, we have implemented sustainable solutions for all these requirements, which we are constantly developing further. These can be:

• Increased patient safety
• Fulfilling compliance requirements
• Changing the error culture into a learning culture
• Uncovering gaps within the operating processes

In order for your CIRS to achieve the desired goals, the reporting process, case handling and case analysis must be adapted to the organizational structure. Which system is suitable for your organization? A few (fictitious) examples are described below, one of which could perhaps also apply to your organization in terms of structure:

• Example 1: Spitex organization with 30 employees
• Example 2: Care center with 200 employees
• Example 3: Hospital network with 2000 employees

The tips listed are not exhaustive and apply in different forms. The important thing is that you can achieve your goals efficiently and at a reasonable cost. We therefore recommend that you rely on an experienced software partner when introducing a CIRS. new-win SW Solutions AG has been developing CIRS tools for almost 20 years and has an enormous depth of expertise in this area. Would you like to find out more? Do not hesitate to contact us.

Example 1: Spitex organization with 30 employees

The Spitex organization “Basler Care” with 30 employees works with a public service mandate. Quality management is part of the management team. The organization has grown continuously in recent years. The processes have become more complex due to the growth but also due to the increased care challenges. Communication within the team is open and honest. The public sector demands verifiable quality management so that the necessary trust can be placed in the services provided.

Our CIRS recommendation for organizations with similar structures:

How should it be reported?

• It is important that reporting is low-threshold, i.e. employees must be able to submit CIRS reports both on the move and on site.
• The registration form must be kept simple and suitable for your organization.
• Because communication within your team is already open and honest, it may be possible to dispense with the anonymity of the report. In any case, however, for reasons of confidentiality, care must be taken to ensure that information about the client (name, date of birth, place of residence, etc.) is removed from the reports.

Who works with the tool?

• Define one to three employees who are responsible for processing incoming CIRS reports. Ideally, this should be the person responsible for quality and a deputy.

How is the potential of CIRS being exploited?

• When analyzing CIRS cases, process gaps or communication problems are often uncovered. These can be remedied or noticeably improved with the help of measures.
• A list of cases (including measures), which can be viewed by employees, conveys the awareness that the reports are important and are used for improvements.
• To ensure that all employees can benefit from the CIRS reports, it is also worth discussing the cases in team meetings. You can do this quickly and clearly using system overviews.
• Incorporate training in the use of the CIRS reporting system into your continuous training program so that everyone involved speaks the same “language”.
• With the help of simple reports, you can prove to your client that you are successfully using CIRS as an important tool to increase patient safety. This creates trust in your professionalism.

Example 2: Care center with 200 employees

At the publicly funded “Sana St. Gallen” care center, 200 employees work in 24-hour shifts to look after the residents. Staff turnover has increased in recent months due to various restructuring measures. The openness to talk about observed or self-inflicted errors is not the same in all departments. The aim is to improve quality, although financial resources are limited. In addition, the client expects demonstrable efficiency and quality. Where is the best place to start?

Our CIRS recommendation for organizations with similar structures:

How should it be reported?

• Employees must be able to access the CIRS reporting form easily and securely from any PC, cell phone or tablet (internally and externally).
• Use an uncomplicated, intuitive CIRS form that suits the circumstances of your organization.
• In order to transform the error culture into a learning culture, employees must be able to report anonymously.

Who works with the tool?

• Define who should be responsible for CIRS in your organization (e.g. QM). It is also advisable to appoint employees responsible for individual areas of your organization (company/division/department) who will take care of the CIRS reports (CIRS officers).
• Decide whether all reports should be forwarded to the departments via a triage point (e.g. QM) or whether the CIRS cases should be sent directly to the CIRS processors by the reporter. The CIRS processors can also assign cases to other areas and thus ensure a suitable workflow with a workload situation that is appropriate for the company.

How is the potential of CIRS being exploited?

• When analyzing CIRS cases, process gaps or communication problems are often uncovered. These can be remedied or improved with the help of measures.
• If you want to create a culture of learning, the internal publication of as many CIRS cases as possible is a first step. This gives employees an insight into selected reports that have been published by the CIRS or reporting group managers. The people who have made a report thus know that someone is looking into their reports and what measures have been initiated as a result.
• After the cases have been analyzed and processed, you can discuss the most informative CIRS cases again as a team. By actively involving all employees, possible optimization potential in the company processes becomes apparent and the communication culture is improved.
• With the help of simple reports, you can also prove to your client that CIRS is an important tool for increasing patient safety in a cost-effective and successful way.
• Integrate training in dealing with CIRS into your continuous further training program.

Example 3: A hospital network with 2000 employees and 5 locations

The organization of the “HealthTech ZH” clinic group is of above-average complexity. Nevertheless, patient safety is the top priority. Certain areas of activity are managed on a cross-site basis, while others are site-specific. Quality management is managed on an overarching basis in collaboration with the managers at each location. The individual areas have different cultures when it comes to dealing with errors and changes. In this respect, the aim is to standardize in a positive direction. Efficiency and a good working atmosphere should go hand in hand. Operating processes are constantly analyzed and optimized, and any tool that provides insightful indications of potential for improvement is valuable. Quality management periodically reports to the company management on QM successes, objectives and planning. It is also important to be able to access the results of the individual sites quickly.

Our CIRS recommendation for organizations with similar structures:

How should it be reported?

• All employees have access to the registration form via a link that has been activated for them. Ideally, this is published on a portal page (independent of the end device). Employees must be able to access the form quickly and securely from anywhere within the organization (and if possible also from outside).
• The CIRS form should be designed in such a way that it is suitable for all locations and areas of your company.
• In order to transform the error culture into a learning culture, it is advisable to enable employees to report their observations anonymously. Before a CIRS case is made accessible to other people, all information that allows conclusions to be drawn about patients or employees must be removed.

Who works with the tool?

• You define which persons are responsible for CIRS cases at the various organizational levels (company/clinic/division/department). At each level, you can give one or more people the rights to process, forward and evaluate cases. These people are called CIRS processors.
• If the cases are distributed via a triage system, CIRS cases may be processed more quickly and efficiently than if the reporter possibly defines the responsible department incorrectly and the case is therefore passed from one department to the next.
• For organizations with a high level of complexity, it is worth setting up a circle of people who meet periodically to discuss current CIRS cases.
• In addition, it is not uncommon for managers in larger organizations to introduce an observer role. Managers are not actively involved in CIRS processing, but can keep themselves informed about the current status of the system at all times.

How is the potential of CIRS being exploited?

• Via a portal page, your employees can access the reporting form and an overview of all cases that have been approved for publication by processors. This significantly increases the benefits of CIRS: employees can see that their cases are being processed and that measures are being taken.
• After the cases have been analyzed and processed, you can discuss the key findings with the team again. By actively involving all employees, possible optimization potential in the company processes becomes apparent and the communication culture is improved.
• With a professionally structured CIRS tool, it is easy to provide proof that compliance requirements have been met. You can use the reports in the tool or the Excel export for this.

How you deal with errors reflects your corporate culture. With H-CIRS, you enable low-threshold reporting that provides valuable insights and reduces costs. In this way, report by report and evaluation by evaluation, you contribute to institutional learning at a different level. You increase patient safety and confidence in the quality of your company.

The tips listed are not exhaustive and apply in different forms. The important thing is that you can achieve your goals efficiently and at a reasonable cost. Therefore, we recommend that you rely on an experienced software partner when implementing a CIRS. new-win SW Solutions AG has been developing CIRS tools for almost 20 years and has an enormously deep know-how in this area. Would you like to learn more? Do not hesitate to contact us. We are here for you!