The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) will establish a National Developmental Center for Evaluation in Patient Safety in Primary Care (DCERPS-PC), building on the strength of its well- established medical education programs, and three specific AAFP programs: the Quality Initiative, the Robert Graham Policy Center, and the National Network for Family Practice and Primary Care Research (National Research Network). The goal of the AAFP DCERPS-PC (The Center) is to improve the safety of medical care in primary care physicians offices, focusing initially on small family practice offices and family practice residency training clinics. The Center will be a program of the National Research Network and will be a component of the overall quality improvement programs of the Academy. The Center director will be the Director of the National Research Network, who is a skilled physicians, medical educator, and primary care researchers. He has extensive experience as a primary care medical director as well. The research laboratory for studying and testing methods to improve patient safety are the 117 clinical practices well. The research laboratory for studying and testing methods to improve patient outcomes are the 117 clinical practices of the AAFP National Research Network located in 34 and 5 Canadian provinces. Family physicians, their staffs and their patients will identify opportunities for error reduction. Center researchers, staff and consultants will develop solutions and educational tools, and the solutions and tools will then be tested in the practices of the Network. Finally, effective tools will be disseminated widely to family physicians through the extensive publications and continuing education programs of the AAFP. In addition, we intend to develop a prototype National Reporting system for medial errors in primary care offices. We will use funding from this grant to develop the infrastructure and multi- disciplinary team necessary for the AAFP National Center for Evaluation and Research in Patient Safety in Primary Care.
| Hickner, J; Graham, D G; Elder, N C et al. (2008) Testing process errors and their harms and consequences reported from family medicine practices: a study of the American Academy of Family Physicians National Research Network. Qual Saf Health Care 17:194-200 |
| Kuo, G M; Phillips, R L; Graham, D et al. (2008) Medication errors reported by US family physicians and their office staff. Qual Saf Health Care 17:286-90 |
