Huddles are designed to be a simple method for teams to plan and respond to anticipated patient concerns, and as an organizational tool to identify opportunities for quality improvement. They are short (often less than 15 minutes) inter-professional meetings that in many settings focus on patient safety/quality of care. In hospital settings, they are often held at the beginning of a shift so that the team can plan their priorities for safety and strategies for mitigations of risks.

Activity # 1

Consider the above description of huddles. Review the documentation card, Opportunities for Improvement (OFI) and the video produced by Hamilton Health Sciences.

Do safety or quality focused Huddles take place in your work setting?

• If yes:
  • Identify a change implemented as a result of these huddles and explain how this change influenced the quality/safety of care in that set
• If no:
  • Collaborate with your co-workers to simulate a short huddle. Identify any patient/client safety concerns and brainstorm strategies to mitigate any risk.

Downloadable Opportunity for Improvement (OFI) Card

Huddles at Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS)

The following video describes an example of a quality improvement strategy at HHS using huddles.

Video: Continuous Quality Improvement at Hamilton Health Sciences (2:40)

Check Your Understanding