The MHA Keystone Center for Patient Safety & Quality was created by Michigan hospitals in March 2003 and brings together hospitals, state and national patient safety experts, and evidence-based best practices to improve patient safety and reduce costs by enhancing the quality of care delivered. The MHA Keystone Center is unique in its ability to bring large numbers of hospitals together in a single improvement initiative, allowing unprecedented collaboration and expedited results. Since the MHA Keystone Center’s inception, Michigan hospitals that have partnered with the center have achieved significant, measurable patient safety improvements — saving lives and reducing health care costs.

The MHA Keystone Center Collaborative Model
The MHA Keystone Center uses the Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, collaborative model for transformational change and is based on the “four E’s”: Engage, Educate, Execute and Evaluate. The activities supporting each step of the process vary by project, but are always detailed and evidence-based to ensure meaningful data and significant opportunity for change.

At the heart of each collaborative is a focus on improving organizational culture using change principles and behavioral science. This intervention, called the Comprehensive Unit-based Safety Program (CUSP), integrates communication, teamwork and leadership to create and support a “harm-free” patient care culture.