Boston, MA and Tacoma, WA – MultiCare Health System, a leading healthcare provider in the Pacific Northwest, is re-committing to its partnership with the Center for Medical Simulation’s Applied Learning for Performance and Safety (CMS-ALPS) team. This collaboration supports the performance, safety, and resilience of MultiCare’s clinical workforce through world-class simulation-based training and learning programs.
“We’re excited to deepen our partnership with CMS-ALPS,” said Keith Jones, Director of The Center for Clinical Practice, Development & Simulation at MultiCare. “Their expertise in simulation-based training and applied learning has bolstered our efforts and helped us to enhance the readiness and continuous improvement of our clinical workforce.”
The Center Simulation Program, led by Jones and Program Manager Kat Avichouser, is already supporting a range of simulation-based programs following the SimZones curricular framework. These programs include skill-training, situational practice, facilities testing, and teamwork development. MultiCare’s simulation team currently partners with 16 distinct services, groups, and teams across the health system, which includes 13 hospitals and a diverse network of clinics within Oregon, Washington, and Idaho.
“Keith is building a world-class simulation team that is tuned-in to the rhythms and needs of clinical readiness across a large and growing healthcare system,” said Chris Roussin, PhD, faculty at Harvard Medical School and Founder and Senior Director of CMS-ALPS. “The team supports nearly 1,000 simulation-based trainings per year at this point.”
The Center for Clinical Practice, Development & Simulation also supports programs involving real-world, everyday learning in the patient care environment. One such initiative currently being led by Avichouser is “Plus-Delta-Plus,” a team-based debriefing method for learning from difficult moments and events in clinical settings. This tool will be rolled out to the first group of clinical units in the coming months, with a wider rollout planned over the next year.
“Plus-Delta-Plus is a game-changer for our clinical teams,” said Avichouser. “It empowers them to learn from their experiences and improve their practice in a supportive and constructive way.”
June M. Altaras (MN, NEA-BC), EVP and Chief Nursing Officer for MultiCare Health System, says, “Simulation and debriefing initiatives significantly impact quality and safety from multiple directions. At MultiCare, we use simulation to train and practice so that our multi-disciplinary people and teams are ready to provide safe care. We use simple and accessible debriefing methods to help us learn every day from our challenging work. This is all part of our journey to become a High Reliability Organization.”
About MultiCare Health System
MultiCare Health System is a not-for-profit healthcare provider serving many areas in the Pacific Northwest. Its comprehensive network includes 13 hospitals, primary and specialty care clinics, and a range of other healthcare services.
About CMS-ALPS
The Center for Medical Simulation’s Applied Learning for Performance and Safety (CMS-ALPS) team is dedicated to improving healthcare workforce resilience and readiness through innovative, applied learning solutions.
Contact:
Christopher Roussin, PhD
Founder and Senior Director, CMS-ALPS
