Despite working in patient safety at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) for many years, Andrea Colfer continues to propose innovative ways for patient safety staff to best approach their work. Last year alone, she organized and facilitated working sessions and presented to leadership a total refresh to CHOP’s major event analysis that will include a huge culture shift to allow for better reflection on why an error may have occurred and how the team can best add system solutions. This refresh moves away from focusing on deviations, allowing review teams to engage in open dialogue and increase psychological safety.
Colfer is constantly pushing CHOP staff to think through their processes to better themselves for both the employees they interact with and the patients their teams care for. She does this in addition to her daily work because she is passionate about patient safety. For example, Colfer created a patient safety book club that has allowed for amazing conversation amongst the patient safety team members about their goals and how to reflect on their purpose and mission.
In true passion for promoting patient safety, she is also creating a curriculum for a patient safety certificate program. Colfer is consistently adding the voice of the patient or family as the team considers any harm, and she gives every event review careful thought and attention.
