Sensors-based behavioral analytics for simulation-based interprofessional team training

Dr. Donald Glowinski - FNS Spark

Medical error is a leading cause of death worldwide and therefore requires greater attention. Our proposal is to develop team behavioral analytics to better integrate human factors and improve patient safety management, risk identification and mitigation in complex healthcare structures. The benefits driven by our method are primarily led by the identification of potential flaws in team coordination minimizing the possible safety impacts, such as medical misjudgments. Such a step change in safety based behavior is made possible targeting simulation-based interprofessional team training (SITT) in the healthcare sector, as such training is required in all health professionals curricula and they look for innovative digital solutions that incorporate human expertise. The overarching goal of this proposal is to exploratory assess three key aspects of the team behavioral analytics: acceptability, feasibility and relevance.

Our sensors-based method aims at being seamlessly integrated with the already existing SITT infrastructure, providing real-time analysis of the team's behavioral dynamics and spotting critical moments in the interaction. While usual SITT methods require trainers to observe multiple team members and interactions (simultaneously or retrospectively using time-consuming manual annotation of video), our approach will allow them to get Crisis Resource Management (CRM)- based indicators of team performance immediately, enhancing real time data analysis and behavior-based feedback.

Drawing on a multiple-case design, we plan to equip with audio wearable microphones and motion tracking sensors, interprofessional team members (e.g., novices vs. experts) during 12 SITT sessions displaying scenarios where team performance is critical to patient safety (e.g., live threatening acute respiratory distress, cardiac arrest) in various healthcare settings (e.g. internal medicine ward, operating theater, emergency room). Supported by the CRM evidence-based team performance indicators displayed by our method, teams, trainers and trainees should learn easier and faster how to remediate to communication breakdowns, diagnostic errors, poor judgment, and inadequate skills thus reducing the risk profile of the operation of the teams.

Expected outcomes of the application of such methodology during SITT are enhancement of team performance in the simulation lab setting, leading to a continuous and lean improvement of patient safety in real-life practice. As in the aviation industry where safety is critical to successful operation, focusing on preventing human being potential hazards, similarly through our approach we should better assess the risk profile identifying the improvement actions to minimize the potential consequences.

Team