Trinity Health Of New England welcomed Tom Peterson, MD, Vice President and Chief Safety Officer, Trinity Health, and Sandy Tobar, Director of Clinical Transformation, Trinity Health, for an onsite visit from October 12 through October 15 in support of the continued journey toward high reliability and strengthening the culture of safety.
Colleagues attend a Foundations of Safety session at Saint Francis Hospital.
During their visit, Dr. Peterson and Ms. Tobar had the opportunity to observe many of the ways safety is integrated into daily operations across the region. They participated in RADAR meetings, Tiered Huddles, and Interdisciplinary Rounds; joined colleagues in recognizing Safety and Security Week; and met with a broad range of colleagues, providers and leaders around the ministry. These interactions provided an opportunity to showcase the commitment to transparent communication, continuous learning and proactive risk identification.
A significant focus of the visit was advancing Trinity Health’s Foundations of Safety initiative. Dr. Peterson and Ms. Tobar partnered with local leaders to offer in-person training sessions for providers and colleagues at each acute care hospital. Both a Provider session and an All-Colleague session were recorded and will serve as enduring educational resources that can be utilized across Trinity Health, extending the impact of this work well beyond our region.
Over the course of four days, a total of 973 colleagues participated in Foundations of Safety training, including 167 providers. Additionally, 43 colleagues, including providers, volunteered to serve as Train-the-Trainers, creating a strong foundation for sustained education and reinforcement of high reliability principles throughout the organization.
Trinity Health Of New England is implementing Foundations of Safety through a phased approach. Wave 1 includes Saint Francis Hospital, where all colleagues are expected to complete training by December 31, 2026. Wave 2 includes Saint Mary’s Hospital, Johnson Memorial Hospital, and Mount Sinai Rehabilitation Hospital and is scheduled for completion by March 31, 2027. In addition, all newly hired colleagues will continue to receive Foundations of Safety training within their first 60 days of employment.
This work is critical to Trinity Health Of New England’s continued success as a highly reliable organization. By establishing a common language, reinforcing behaviors that support safety, and embedding high reliability principles into daily practice, Foundations of Safety will help strengthen the culture of safety, improve teamwork and communication, and further the commitment to providing the safest possible care for the patients and communities we serve.