January 15, 2015

VU health professionals course headed for Australia

Vanderbilt’s Center for Patient and Professional Advocacy (CPPA) has announced a partnership with the Cognitive Institute, an international health care education provider based in Australia.

Vanderbilt’s Center for Patient and Professional Advocacy (CPPA) has announced a partnership with the Cognitive Institute, an international health care education provider based in Australia.

The partnership entails a five-year licensing agreement allowing the institute to offer CPPA’s course, “Promoting Professionalism: Addressing Behaviors that Undermine a Culture of Safety, Reliability and Accountability,” to health professionals in Australia and Southeast Asia.

The Cognitive Institute is part of the Medical Protection Society (MPS), a U.K.-based not for profit organization that offers indemnification against clinical negligence claims, legal help and ethical advice to health professionals in 40 countries.

“We have a longstanding relationship with the leaders of the Cognitive Institute and MPS, and we know that their values and mission align with our center,” said Gerald Hickson, M.D., assistant vice chancellor for Health Affairs and senior vice president for Quality, Safety and Risk Prevention.

“Over the past five years we have also come to know the stature and respect the institute has across the Asia Pacific region, and we are excited to be partnering with them and sharing expertise that will improve health care on a global scale.”

Vanderbilt’s CPPA “is internationally recognized for its innovative work,” said Matthew O’Brien, managing director of the Cognitive Institute, adding that the agreement will enhance his organization’s programs to support clinician behavior change that positively impacts hospital and medical group quality and safety.

In 2014, CPPA faculty presented more than 200 courses for health professionals at locations across the U.S. The center’s Patient Advocacy Reporting System tracks patient complaints and supports interventions to improve professional accountability for some 26,000 physicians working in more than 70 U.S. health care organizations.