Communication and Resolution Programs (CRPs) are a principled, comprehensive, systematic approach for responding to patients who have been harmed by their healthcare. They are an integral component of a larger commitment to patient quality and safety, and are implemented for the benefit of both patients and the professionals who deliver care. CRPs seek to meet the needs of a patient and their family when something goes wrong during their care. They also address the quality and safety gaps responsible for the event. While implementation may vary slightly at each healthcare organization, all CRPs are based on a common set of essential commitments, elements, and steps.
At its highest level, a CRP process involves:
- Reporting incidents of harm immediately
- Conducting a rapid investigation of what happened
- Sharing a full and complete explanation about the event with the patient and family
- Providing psychosocial support for the patient, family and involved providers
- Offering apologies
- Proactively offering compensation for care that was found to be below the standard of care
- Ensuring that lessons are learned to prevent recurrences