Empowered Employees Stop the Line for Safety

Radiologic technologists in South San Francisco Radiology’s UBT speak up and “stop the line” when they encounter anything that deviates from the workflow or is a potential patient safety risk. Afterward, they fill out a brief report used to track issues that then are addressed by the UBT. The department has seen a 50 percent reduction of “significant events”—incidents in which a patient is incorrectly irradiated, whether it be a wrong body part or a scan is repeated unnecessarily—from the previous year.

Here's What Worked

• Speaking up immediately and “stopping the line” if a radiologic technologist encounters any deviation from workflow or a risk to patient safety.
• Filling out a simple, accessible form which the UBT then uses to address the issue that arose.

What can your team do to create a culture of Speaking Up in your department? What else could your team do to ensure follow up after a safety incident?