IHI Care Operating System

By designing and deploying technology-enabled workflows, IHI Care Operating System (IHI CareOS) connects clinical care, operations, informatics, and analytics in a holistic environment that prioritizes and accelerates learning and improvement. Just like the operating system on your phone or PC, IHI CareOS, once implemented, works in the background, facilitating and improving the experience for health care’s end users — patients and providers.

IHI CareOS focuses on improving systems, not people — recognizing that individual performance is a property of the system. It weaves together disparate, piecemeal improvement initiatives into a practical, tech-enabled learning and management system. IHI CareOS is a transformative force driving better health care for all.

Key Components

• A safety and effectiveness management system that includes a sensor system to detect and understand safety risks in real time while continually evaluating clinical performance; and an effector system enabling rapid improvement of daily operations and enterprise-wide priorities.
• An efficiency and patient flow management system that continually monitors flow and evaluates clinical variance, feeding effector systems that improve flow and reduce waste.
• An experience management system that takes in data from clinicians and patients about their experience of providing and receiving care in the system. This system responds to those experiences with clinical coaching, supports to staff, and service improvements for patients.

Benefits

IHI Care Operating System represents the next frontier in health care quality and safety. By focusing on systems rather than individuals, it creates a sustainable model for delivering high-quality care that benefits both patients and health care providers.

• Enhanced Patient Outcomes: By optimizing workflows and reducing variability in care delivery, IHI CareOS significantly improves patient outcomes.
• Improved Clinician Experience: The system helps reconnect clinicians with their purpose, reducing burnout and increasing job satisfaction.
• Operational Efficiency: IHI CareOS streamlines operations, leading to cost savings and more efficient use of resources.

Practical Implementation

Implementing IHI CareOS involves a strategic approach that includes:

• Assessment: Evaluating current systems and identifying areas for improvement.
• Planning: Developing a comprehensive plan that aligns with organizational goals.
• Execution: Implementing the system with a focus on training and support for staff.
• Monitoring: Continuously monitoring performance and making adjustments as needed.
   

Related Content

• Revolutionizing Healthcare Delivery: The Power of Care Operating Systems (Becker’s Hospital Review podcast)
• The Leader's Role in Optimal Care Systems (Healthcare Executive article)
• To Improve Health Care, Focus on Fixing Systems — Not People (Harvard Business Review article)
• Care Operating Systems: Empowering the Health Workforce (Becker’s Hospital Review article)
• IHI Care Operating System: The Next Frontier in Quality and Safety (RamaOnHealthcare article)
• What Is Involved in Creating a Care Operating System? (Healthcare Innovation article)