Project R-16727

Implementation Science for Patient Safety and System Resilience. (Research)

IMPRESS addresses patient safety as a persistent cross-border challenge in the Interreg Meuse–Rhine region, where a notable proportion of patients report adverse events during hospital care, while most incidents are initially detected by patients themselves rather than healthcare professionals and are not consistently communicated or resolved. This reflects a wider "know–do" gap in healthcare, where proven safety interventions can take many years to become routine, despite strong evidence that patient engagement improves safety outcomes, reduces harm, and optimises healthcare resources. The project aims to develop and validate an innovative implementation toolkit for three established patient safety interventions, focusing not only on their effectiveness but on how they can be embedded sustainably in real-world hospital environments. Co-created with patients, clinicians, and decision-makers, the toolkit will be piloted across multiple sites in the Meuse–Rhine region, supported by a multidisciplinary consortium of universities and hospitals with complementary expertise in patient safety, simulation, management, and patient partnership. By analysing implementation conditions, evaluating clinical and organisational impact, and developing robust indicators for adoption and resilience, IMPRESS seeks to enable more effective, scalable, and patient-centred safety practices across the region.

01 April 2026 - 31 March 2029