Webinar: The Tale of Two Frameworks: Uniting the Principles of High Reliability Organizations (HRO) with the Baldridge Excellence Framework to Reduce False-Positive Blood Culture Results

Overview:

Join us for this insightful webinar that bridges two powerful healthcare improvement frameworks—High Reliability Organizations (HRO) and the Baldrige Excellence Framework—to tackle a critical and costly issue in clinical diagnostics: false-positive blood cultures. Attendees will gain a comprehensive understanding of how integrating cultural and systemic approaches can reduce diagnostic errors, enhance patient safety, and drive sustained clinical excellence.

This session will explore the significant clinical, operational, and financial impact of blood culture contamination, which affects nearly 1.4 million patients annually. Through real-world examples and data, our expert speakers will highlight how HRO principles and Baldrige’s A.D.L.I. (Approach, Deployment, Learning, Integration) framework can be used to structure sustainable practice change. Emphasis will be placed on evidence-based tools and strategies, such as the Steripath® Initial Specimen Diversion Device, that deliver measurable improvements in contamination rates, patient outcomes, and antibiotic stewardship.

This webinar is ideal for healthcare professionals committed to reducing diagnostic errors, improving outcomes, and embedding high-reliability practices across their institutions.

Webinar Objectives:

• Understand the distinct yet complementary roles of the HRO and Baldrige frameworks in driving high performance and patient safety.
• Explore the root causes and systemic consequences of false-positive blood cultures, including increased mortality, unnecessary antibiotic use, and extended hospital stays.
• Learn how to apply the five HRO principles to identify and mitigate failure points in blood culture collection processes.

Speakers:

Carleen Merola, DNP, RN, TCRN, PCCN
Nursing Director, Critical Care & Emergency · Ascension Seton Williamson

Fred Ervin, MHA, RN, BA
Baldrige Program Manager · Camden Clark Medical Center