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Patient Safety and Quality Improvement

Psychological Safety for Surgeons: Building Trust, Teamwork, and Well-being

Monday, October 2, 2023
10:45 AM - 11:35 AM East Coast USA Time
Location: Ballroom A1

    Moderator(s)

  • Nausheen Jamal, MD

    Harry Carothers Wiess Professor & Chair of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery
    University of Texas Medical Branch, John Sealy School of Medicine
    Galveston, TX, United States

    • Panelist(s)

  • Jo Shapiro, MD

    Associate Professor of Otolaryngology
    Harvard Medical School
    Belmont, MA, United States

  • Michael J. Brenner, MD, FACS

    Associate Professor
    University of Michigan
    Ann Arbor, MI, United States

  • Cecelia E. Schmalbach, MD, MSc, FACS

    The David Myers, MD Professor and Chair, Department of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery
    Temple University
    Philadelphia, PA, United States

Disclosure(s):
Nausheen Jamal, MD: No relevant relationships to disclose.
Jo Shapiro, MD: No relevant relationships to disclose.
Michael J. Brenner, MD, FACS: No relevant relationships to disclose.
Cecelia E. Schmalbach, MD, MSc, FACS: No relevant relationships to disclose.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION: Psychological safety is the concept that an individual will not be penalized or humiliated for making mistakes, voicing ideas, or asking questions. In doing so, interpersonal risk is reduced in the workplace. Research in this area was pioneered within the fields of industry and business but has significant impact within our field of healthcare. A culture of psychological safety is imperative for physician well-being and satisfaction, which in turn directly impacts patient safety, quality, and outcomes. The work required to achieve a culture of psychological safety relies on both high-level organizational input as well as a conscientious effort on the part of the individual healthcare provider.
This panel defines psychological safety as it relates to otolaryngology – head and neck surgery and examines its critical role in patient safety and quality improvement. We will present strategies for creating a psychologically safe environment and will highlight factors that can promote or threaten the culture. Conflict management, microaggressions, and organizational accountability will be highlighted, along with the importance of emotional intelligence as it relates to psychological safety.

OUTCOME OBJECTIVE 1: Describe approaches to building and sustaining a culture of psychological safety.

OUTCOME OBJECTIVE 2: Understand the role of the individual in ensuring psychological safety via emotional intelligence, conflict management, and bystander interventions for microaggressions.

OUTCOME OBJECTIVE 3: Recognize the role of the organization in developing a culture of safety by ensuring accountability and support.

BACKGROUND STATEMENT: A psychologically safe culture must be actively cultivated by the organization’s leadership, while also relying on the everyday efforts of all healthcare team members. Conflict avoidance, microaggressions, and lack of emotional intelligence threaten to derail psychologically safety.