Supporting Systems-Based Practice in GME: ACGME Launches Patient Safety Toolkit

The ACGME recently launched a Patient Safety Toolkit, now available to all users with an ADS account. This new resource is designed to help GME leaders strengthen patient safety within clinical learning environments through structured self-assessment, systems thinking, and practical improvement strategies.

The Toolkit provides activities and tools to help programs identify opportunities for improvement and address systems-based challenges through a GME-focused lens. It encourages programs to reflect on how resident and fellow engagement can enhance patient safety efforts and to develop meaningful, program-level strategies for advancing that work.

Why Systems-Based Practice Matters

Systems-Based Practice (SBP) is one of the six ACGME Core Competencies because it ensures that residents and fellows are equipped to function effectively within the complex systems that shape healthcare delivery. A strong SBP curriculum prepares trainees not only to deliver high-quality care, but also to understand the broader institutional, financial, and policy forces that impact that care.

Through SBP, learners gain the ability to:

• Recognize how system-level factors influence outcomes

• Coordinate care across teams and settings

• Use healthcare resources efficiently

• Lead quality improvement initiatives

Compared to other core competencies like Medical Knowledge, Patient Care, and Professionalism, SBP can be harder for programs to integrate and assess in a meaningful way. The Patient Safety Toolkit helps fill that gap.

What the Toolkit Offers

This resource supports programs in advancing Systems-Based Practice by guiding teams to:

• Identify barriers and opportunities for engaging residents, fellows, and staff in patient safety procedures

• Apply a structured framework to periodically evaluate their own patient safety efforts

Whether you're enhancing an existing patient safety curriculum or starting from scratch, the Toolkit offers a practical starting point for aligning your program with ACGME expectations and institutional safety goals.

Access the Toolkit

Programs interested in building stronger systems-based education can access the Patient Safety Toolkit here.

If you’d like help integrating Systems-Based Practice into your curriculum or aligning your efforts with institutional priorities, Germane Solutions’ Accreditation experts are here to support you. Contact us to explore how we can help your team implement sustainable, compliance-ready solutions that elevate your learning environment.