Executive Testimonials

“Speaking for my team and me personally, we have experienced the most incredible and transformational week teaching CRM to our staff. It is rare that we are able to reach people at a core level. This program does/did just that. Thank you and LifeWings for spooling us up. We know we have much more to do. That said every journey starts with the first step.”

Paul Corish RN MS CNOR
Administrative Director, Surgical Services
Vassar Brothers Medical Center

“I had to make a very assertive statement several months ago and it made all the difference in my patient’s outcome! Never thought it would work so well until I had to do it! I actually received applause in the operating room when it was over and am now CONVINCED about CRM!”
Winifred Guthikonda, RN, MSN, CPAN
Perianesthesia Clinical Educator
Mount Carmel West

"We have enjoyed an ongoing training relationship with LifeWings for the last three years. We have now trained appx. 800 physicians, nurses, and staff, mostly in our high intensity areas (OR,ICUs, ER, oncology and cath lab). We have implemented about 8-10 safety tools (checklists, prebriefs, 1 minute huddles, etc.) in these areas as follow-up to the raining. We are finding that staff in these areas are becoming comfortable enough with this approach to patient safety that they are now starting to come forward with ideas/recommendations for additional interventions.

Although this is a substantial investment, I'm convinced it has been worth it. It is clear to me that if we're to have safe inpatient environments, we need to not only address safety reporting, investigation, and learning following adverse events; we must address the culture and communication patters that set us up for adverse events to occur. I'm not sure that CRM training is the only way to address this, but it's the only way that works of which I'm personally aware."
Les Hall, MD
Director, Office of Clinical Effectiveness University of Missouri - Columbia

"Three years ago a group of doctors started the Texas Spine and Joint Hospital in Tyler, Texas. We wanted to have a top quality hospital. One of our main concerns was patient safety.

In the Spring of 2004, we had LifeWings come to our hospital and go through all our departments. A few weeks later we had them come give an 8 hour workshop with all our personnel, including, most importantly, our doctors. The workshop was given on 3 consecutive days, and all employees and doctors picked one of these days. The physicians were mixed in with all the employees. It was an enjoyable learning experience. It improved the culture of the hospital.

We implemented all their suggested hardwired safety tools, and as a result, have had an excellent safety record. We have not had any wrong site surgeries, and our infection rate is extremely low, especially in comparison to our other hospitals in town, and national averages. Our most recent study showed that preop antibiotics were given in the appropriate time interval (e.g., Ancef 30 minutes before surgery) 96% of the time.

Last month, I had a nurse in the pre-op area come up to me and thank me for bringing LifeWings to our hospital. The employees feel empowered to speak up about their concerns, and know that they will not be run over by an authoritative doctor. The culture of the hospital will not allow this behavior. We function as a team.

I would strongly recommend this program. The longer that your hospital system waits to implement this type of program, the more patients will be harmed by not having a safety program in place. It will require that all employees and physicians be required to have training about these safety measures in order to get the maximum benefit. This program will be highly appreciated by hospital staff that care about patient safety."
William Schreiber, M.D.
Texas Spine and Joint Hospital

"This training will dramatically change the way we do business and will significantly improve patient safety."
Dr. Coleen Kivlahan
Chief Medical Officer
Missouri University Medical Center

“The basic skills that I remember are improved communication and the clarity with the communication in terms of confirming answers to questions, confirming when you are spoken to, and then clarifying the members who are on your team; and improved communication particularly at high-risk times like patient handoffs and shift change.”

Medical Director, ED
Benedictine Hospital, Kingston, NY

“As we pursue opportunities to reduce errors and the potential for errors in our hospitals, utilizing the expertise of LifeWings has proven to be a way to significantly improve many of our patient-related processes. It is clear to us that LifeWings’ aviation expertise is directly transferable to the significant opportunity we have to reduce errors and variability in healthcare.”
Cameron J. Welton
Chief Operating Officer
Methodist Healthcare
Memphis, Tennessee

“Surgeons can apply stress-handling techniques developed by the aviation industry to enhance their performance. This is a presentation I wish I had heard years ago, and one that I hope becomes available to more and more surgeons and residents.”
Dr. Lynn Hauser, FSEE
Hauser-Ross Eye Institute

“The quality of instruction was very high, and the instructional team was adept at sensing areas of disagreement and adroitly managing the discussion, based on their instructional materials.”
Dr. Geoffrey McCarthy
Director of Medical and Surgical Care

“We’re excited about what was accomplished with LifeWings and even more excited about what we will accomplish with them in the future. We’re looking forward to continuing our collaboration.”
Dr. Les Hall
Director of Clinical Effectiveness
Associate Chief of Staff
Missouri University Medical Center

“By taking the time to go through this level of training, our physicians and staff can now offer patients a high level of service that they can’t get anywhere else.”
Mike Demster
Vice President
Methodist Healthcare Central Hospital

“Last Friday’s Resident Loss prevention Seminar was a grand success. Not only was it the largest crowd we have ever had; the feedback from residents was outstanding. The presentation was appropriate, on target and kept their attention. I truly appreciate the willingness and expertise of SVMIC to provide these programs. It is indeed like Preventive Medicine in reducing risk factors before the disease develops.”
Eugene C. Mangiante, M.D
Graduate and Continuing Medical Education
College of Medicine
University of Tennessee

“I was amazed at all the things the implementation session revealed that I had not considered. The implementation session, through use of vetted aviation documents will allow us to warp ahead our institutional integration. Building the “who to get to buy-in” org chart was most helpful. The LifeWings team gently and consistently guided us through the web of issues we needed to address to make our program successful. I only wish we could bring LifeWings into Vanderbilt for a couple of years full time to help us accomplish our goals to save patient lives.”
Lynda Lane, MS, RN
Senior Associate in Medicine
Vanderbilt University

“LifeWings’ Implementation Boot Camp for Healthcare leaders gives a vision for patient safety and a practical product that will change the hospital culture.”
Eric L. Grogan, MD
Vanderbilt University

“ This was an inspiring, informative and incredibly insightful presentation. It has generated a LOT of discussion among our OB providers and I am certain we will see some positive changes.
Johanna Pope
Director of Risk Management
Norton Healthcare & Kosair
Children’s Hospital

“ LifeWings' program for “Strategies to Reduce Liability in the Perinatal Setting”, was terrific. It was on target and consistent with the principles of perinatal high reliability. The information provided was practical and immediately useful for nurses and physicians. I’m confident that implementation of the teamwork and communication techniques presented will promote safer care for mothers and babies.”
Kathleen R. Simpson, PhD, RNC, FAAN
Perinatal Clinical Nurse Specialist
St. John’s Mercy Medical Center
St. Louis, MO

“The two day workshop… was very helpful and should be a part of medical training. In particular, I was impressed with the "see it, say it, fix it" culture that accepts and rewards a bottom up approach to potential problems. If hospitals were to adopt this change in culture, I believe less mistakes and complications would occur. Team building in medicine is important and should be emphasized in the practice of medicine. The approach used by LifeWings is innovative and important for doctors and hospital administrators to learn more about.”
Dr. Frank H. Boehm
Professor of Maternal/Fetal Medicine
Director of Obstetrics
Vanderbilt University