Culture Road Map

Creating a Culture of Safety is an indispensible step towards becoming a safer organization.  MAPS Culture Road Map is divided into 8 clear digestible focus areas or "domains" proven to facilitate the implementation of culture change.

The MAPS' Culture Road Map was built to be a comprehensive enduring set of known best practices related to safety culture. We expect the Road Map to evolve over time in response to new knowledge; we expect organizations to revisit the Road Map over many years as their cultures transform and adapt.

While each organization is different and must determine the most effective use of the Road Map for their care setting and circumstances, MAPS members have developed the following recommendations for Culture Road Map use:

• Integrate Road Map work with existing safety projects. Road Map users are encouraged to evaluate all current safety projects for how they can integrate into the evidence-based practices recommended in the Road Map. Aligning and coordinating all safety-related work within the Road Map has three key benefits:
  1.) safety/quality projects can benefit from the Road Map’s process improvement tools; and
  2.) team members receive a consistent message about the importance of safety culture; and
  3.) progress is accelerated because staff members have already received consistent, continuous communication about how safety/quality is an organizational priority. 
   
• Complete the Getting Started and Leadership Road Map sections first. Research has repeatedly shown that leadership is the critical success factor to a patient safety culture. Completing these two sections provides a solid foundation for success.
   
• Target one or two domains for significant new work. The data gathering and assessment that occurs during the Getting Started and Leadership Road Map sections will help you choose one or more domains. Launching significant new work in multiple domains at the same time is not recommended. As projects reach a sustainment phase, the Road Map can be revisited and new projects can be added. 
   
• Consider benchmarking progress using the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) patient safety culture survey instrument, which is available free of charge. Specific versions of the AHRQ survey are available for hospitals, medical offices, and nursing homes.