Yisrael Mordecai Safeek

Yisrael Mordecai Safeek, MD, MBA, CPE, FACPE

December 2007
Born South America
Residence Lexington, Kentucky
Nationality United States
Alma mater Austin Peay State University (BS)
East Tennessee State University (MD)
Vanderbilt University (Anesthesiology)
University of Tennessee (MBA)
Occupation Physician, Author, Healthcare executive, Patient Safety Advocate
Employer The SafeCare Group
Title Executive, 2010
Website safecaregroup.com

Yisrael Mordecai Safeek (i/ˈsɑːfɛk ˈɪzriːəl/) is an American physician, author, healthcare executive, and patient safety advocate. In 2010, he founded The SafeCare Group, a firm with headquarters in Lexington, Kentucky with the motto of "Helping Hospitals Excel",[1][2][3] Before founding The SafeCare Group, Safeek served in the dual roles as the Chief Quality Officer of the 18-hospital Covenant Health System *, the largest health system between Dallas and Los Angeles, and first Chief Medical Officer of (at the time) the second largest clinical integration program in the US,[4] Health Partners.[5] As Chief Medical Officer, Safeek accelerated the implementation of advanced clinical technologies, facilitated the adoption of evidence-based medicine,and reduced the overuse and misuse of clinical resources. The network aligned hundreds of independent physicians with the health system's goals and yielded tangible outcomes in patient safety, quality, and efficiency of care. Between 2005 to 2014, Safeek was associated with The Joint Commission holding certifications in the Hospital Accreditation Program (2005–2014), and the Outpatient-Based Surgery Program (2009–2014). In 2007, he was the first Kentucky physician appointed to the Board of Examiners for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award program.[6] Safeek is a diplomate of the Certifying Commission in Medical Management[7] from the American College of Physician Executives,[8][9] the American Board of Medical Specialties in Anesthesiology,[10] and the National Board of Medical Examiners. He is a Fellow[11][12] and Vanguard Advisory Member[13] of the American College of Physician Executives.[14]

Biography

Early life and education

Safeek was born in South America, the eldest child of Nazmoon Safeek (née Meir) and Mark B. Safeek. He attended Austin Peay State University graduating in two and a half years with a Bachelor of Science degree, majoring with a double major in biology and chemistry. He attended the Quillen School of Medicine at East Tennessee State University graduating with a Doctor of Medicine degree. After a general surgery internship, he completed his anesthesiology training at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville.Later, Safeek completed a Master of Business Administration degree at the University of Tennessee Physician Executive MBA program.[15]

Early medical career

After medical training, Safeek became medical director at Cleveland Community Hospital while he established an independent anesthesia medical practice. Safeek implemented various patient safety and lean initiatives in various operating rooms like Crew Resource Management resulting in safer anesthesia care. He proactively instituted several steps to prevent awareness under anesthesia while serving as Pikeville Medical Center’s vice-president of clinical affairs.[16] In the early 1990s, Safeek was a shareholder in Cleveland Community Hospital, and CEO of medical practices and medical director of hospitals in Tennessee and Kentucky.[17] He later served as CEO of a billing and collections company and was actively involved in revenue cycle management.

Present career

In 2007, Safeek transitioned from the clinical arena to the business sector after obtaining his Master of Business Administration and serving in various chief medical officer and chief clinical officer roles. In 2009, he founded the SafeCare Group, an organization that produces the OPPE Readiness App for Joint Commission compliance[18] and the "100 SafeCare Hospitals" awards.[19] The SafeCare Group developed and markets the comprehensive PULSE ℠ software for clinical integration and OPPE Readiness App (OPPERA℠)[20] for OPPE and FPPE regulatory compliance.

OPPE Readiness App

External video
You may watch OPPE Readiness App for Joint Commission OPPE and FPPE compliance, here

Safeek worked with The SafeCare Group to produce the best-in-class OPPE Readiness App (OPPERA℠) for FPPE and OPPE compliance. OPPERA℠ is a specialty-specific credentialing tool centered around the six core competencies. It consists of a care management module, an incident management module, and an educational management module for 54 medical specialties and allied health.

UTI Bundle

Safeek published a simple, easy-to-remember urinary tract infections bundle (UTI Bundle)[21] in Physician Executive, the journal of the American College of Physician Executives to prevent catheter associated urinary tract infections. The UTI Bundle was later reprinted by Healthcare Financial Management Journal upon request as a tool to decrease unnecessary financial cost from hospital acquired urinary tract infections.[22] The UTI Bundle is similar to the bundles for prevention and treatment of ventilator-associated pneumonia, sepsis, and central line-related infections from the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. It consists of five steps: CDC Hand Hygiene, sterile Foley catheter insertion, maintenance of a closed system, perineal care, daily review of catheter need and earliest removal.

I AM FOR SAFETY Surgical Checklist

Safeek also authored and published a safe surgery checklist in Physician Executive Journal based upon his experience as an anesthesiologist overseeing operating rooms in several states. The checklist is a modified version of the World Health Organization surgical safety checklist and includes safety checks required by the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) and Joint Commission. It utilizes the mnemonic I AM FOR SAFETY that documents the sequence of patient safety exercises for caregivers to employ.[23]

The I AM FOR SAFETY checklist incorporated key patient safety exercises designed to be performed during distinctly critical and vulnerable peri-operative time periods for surgical patients:

Sign in: Joint Commission two identifiers, medication allergy and reconciliation, site markings requirements, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) fasting, oxygen, and airway status requirements, transfusion and fluid requirements, and equipment availability before taking the patient into the operative suite.

Time out: Medicare Core Measure SCIP 1a, and Joint Commission Universal Protocol before surgical incision.

Sign out: Yield of final instrument/supply count and specimen tally before closure of the operative wound.

Other Healthcare innovations

Patient Safety innovations

Safeek is credited with several other patient safety innovations. These include measures to reduce patient falls in hospitals, mitigate pressure ulcers from becoming a problem, and supporting safe surgeries through a checklist. DON'T SPLAT Fall Prevention Checklist[24] SAFE SKIN Pressure Ulcers Checklist[25]

Efficiency of Care innovations

BLUE (Better Lean & Utilization Exchange) Huddles[26]

Readiness Early Disposition Plan

RED (Readiness Early Disposition) Discharge Plan[27] that focuses on utilization management, care facilitation, discharge planning, and clinical integration for safe,timely, and effective hospital discharges.

Joint Commission affiliation

From 2005-2014, Safeek was intermittently employed by The Joint Commission, holding certifications in the Hospital Accreditation Program (2005–2014), and the Outpatient-Based Surgery Program (2009–2014). Between 2005 - 2014, Safeek participated with JCAHO in patient safety task forces, sentinel event /root cause activity, failure mode and effect analyses, and special cause hospital inspections. As part of hospital inspections, Safeek analyzed care systems for risk-points which impacted CMS deemed status, and communicated adverse decisions to hospital boards, leadership, and medical staffs.

In 2010, Safeek worked with a team at The Joint Commission to develop the Systems Tracer, "Evaluating Ongoing Professional Practice Evaluation (OPPE) and Focused Professional Practice Evaluation (FPPE) Processes."[28] This effort culminated in the accrediting body's OPPE and FPPE Booster Pak and is the gold standard for evaluation of credentialing and privileging processes. In 2012, Safeek was interviewed on several occasions for his position regarding the impact of physician credentialing on patient safety.[29] In 2008, Safeek was recognized by The Joint Commission for his work in formulating a new patient flow tracer that addressed capacity and throughput issues in patient care areas.

National presentations

Safeek addressing the AMP Symposium at Chicago in 2011

Since 2005, Safeek has mentored hospital boards, executive leadership, and medical staffs on quality, patient safety, teamwork initiatives, disruptive behavior, and the OPPE and FPPE.[30] He presented the keynote address for doctors and teamwork.[31]

Safeek has been a vocal advocate for physician leadership to improve healthcare quality, patient safety, and the patient experience.[32][33] Safeek advocated for more physician leaderships in government and leading healthcare organizations.[34] Safeek stated, "the role of medical administrators (Chief Medical Officer) is no longer that of a diplomatic liaison between the medical and the administrative staff. They are now responsible for customer satisfaction, financial performance and clinical results."[35]

Safeek addressing the 32nd Annual FAMSS conference in Orlando in 2013

In 2013, Safeek presented at the Florida Association of Medical Staff Services on OPPE and FPPE. His topics were, "Linking FPPE/OPPE to Privileges" and "Best Practices for FPPE/OPPE."[36][37]

In 2012, he was featured by the American College of Physician Executives Knowledge Worth Sharing Series for his video teleconference of "Credentialing and Privileging: A Prescription for Accountable Care". Safeek highlighted how passage of national health care legislation created a need for better credentialing of physicians to participate in Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs), citing the "patient safety vacuum".[38][39][40]

In 2012, Safeek was also interviewed regarding the current state of OPPE and FPPE across the nation, highlighting the struggles for healthcare organizations.[41]

External video
You may watch Yisrael Mordecai Safeek discussing Accountable Care in Chicago, here
Safeek addressing the 15th AHAP at Lake Buena Vista in 2012

In 2012, Safeek was the keynote speaker at The 15th Annual Association for Healthcare Accreditation Professionals Symposium[42] focusing on "Accountable Credentialing and Privileging: Adopting Strategies for Better Health, Better Care, and Better Value."[43] In 2012, Safeek was also the featured speaker at the 6th Annual Credentialing Resource Center Symposium focusing on "Preparing for The Joint Commission's OPPE and FPPE Systems Tracer".[44][45]

Between 2010 and 2011, he served on the Advocacy and Patient Safety task forces[46] of the American College of Physician Executives. At the AMP Symposium in 2011 in Chicago, he presented the importance of physician leadership in attaining the Triple Aims of Accountable Care.[47]


Safeek participated in the featured webcast: Assessing the competence of low- and no-volume practitioners[48][49] In 2011, Safeek was the featured speaker at Cincinnati-based Catholic Health Partners Physician Leadership Academy, discussing strategic solutions to the OPPE and FPPE.[50]

In 2009, Safeek represented Covenant Health System in a Texas state-wide executive panel with diverse politicians and executives on healthcare reform.[51][52] Safeek was recognized as 2007 Outstanding Physician Leader of the Year.[53][54] Safeek left Covenant Health System to found The SafeCare Group to enhance quality, patient safety, and efficiency to national healthcare.

Selected publications

Books

Book cover

Safeek is the author of the book Credentialing and Privileging for Accountable Care: A Prescription for the Ailing Stethoscope and the Dull Scalpel, published through the American College of Physician Executives.[55][56] The reviews for the book were positive.[57][58][59] There were book signings in Chicago at the Summer Institute of the American College of Physician Executives.[60][61]

Papers

Safeek has spoken and written on the impact of the Core Measures, National Patient Safety Goals, and IHI bundles to enhance patient safety, and decrease preventable deaths. There are also several publications on healthcare efficiency dealing with decreased lengths of stay and improved discharges. Safeek is published in such prestigious journals as "Physician Executive Journal" and "Healthcare Financial Management Association".[62][63]

References

  1. ↑ The SafeCare Group
  2. ↑ Multi-Disciplinary Approach to Amputation Prevention
  3. ↑ Better Health, Better Care, Lower Cost
  4. ↑ Chief Medical Officer
  5. ↑ Health Partners
  6. ↑ Paynter, Teddy. "Safeek Named To Board". Medical Leader. Retrieved 2008-04-04.
  7. ↑ Board Certified Physician Executive
  8. ↑ Certified Physician Executive
  9. ↑ ACPE welcomes new physician executives
  10. ↑ Board Certified Anesthesiologist
  11. ↑ "New Fellows" (PDF). Physician Executive Journal. Retrieved 2011-08-08.
  12. ↑ Fellows honored in San Antonio
  13. ↑ "Vanguard Member" (PDF). Physician Executive Journal. Retrieved 2010-12-10.
  14. ↑ Diplomate
  15. ↑ Physician Executive MBA
  16. ↑ Vice President of Clinical Affairs
  17. ↑ CEO, Anesthesia Practices
  18. ↑ OPPE and FPPE
  19. ↑ 100 SafeCare Hospitals
  20. ↑ OPPE Readiness App
  21. ↑ Safeek, Yisrael. "Safeek UTI Bundle" (PDF). American College of Physician Executives. Retrieved 2010-04-01.
  22. ↑ Safeek, Yisrael. "UTI Bundle". Healthcare Financial Management. Retrieved 2010-08-10.
  23. ↑ Safeek, Yisrael. "I AM FOR SAFETY checklist". Healthcare Financial Management. Retrieved 2010-08-10.
  24. ↑ Safeek, Yisrael. "DON'T SPLAT Falls checklist". Healthcare Financial Management. Retrieved 2010-08-10.
  25. ↑ Safeek, Yisrael. "SAFE SKIN pressure ulcers checklist" (PDF). Physician Executive Journal. Retrieved 2010-03-11.
  26. ↑ Safeek, Yisrael. "BLUE (Better Lean & Utilization Exchange) Huddles". Physician Executive Journal. Retrieved 2010-09-13.
  27. ↑ Safeek, Yisrael. "RED (Readiness Early Disposition) Discharge Plan" (PDF). Physician Executive Journal. Retrieved 2010-09-16.
  28. ↑ Linking OPPE to Privileges
  29. ↑ Safeek Press Clip
  30. ↑ Accreditation or Certification and The Joint Commission
  31. ↑ Doctors and Teamwork
  32. ↑ Physicians & Policy Decisions
  33. ↑ Seminar Faculty
  34. ↑ Physician Leadership Advocate
  35. ↑ Role of Medical Administrators
  36. ↑ Best Practices for FPPE/OPPE
  37. ↑ Linking Privileges to OPPE
  38. ↑ A Prescription for Accountable Care
  39. ↑ Leadership on Physician Credentialing
  40. ↑ Leadership on Physician Credentialing
  41. ↑ Safeek on Current State of OPPE and FPPE
  42. ↑ 15th Annual Credentialing Resource Center Symposium
  43. ↑ Accountable Care Speaker
  44. ↑ Keynote Speaker
  45. ↑ Speakers
  46. ↑ ACPE Task Forces
  47. ↑ Physician Leadership
  48. ↑ Solving-the-low-and-no-volume-issue
  49. ↑ Low- and No-volume Practitioners Webinar
  50. ↑ Physician Leadership Academy
  51. ↑ Clashing Paradigms: A New America?
  52. ↑ Dr. Safeek of Covenant Health System
  53. ↑ "Yisrael M. Safeek". Physician Executive. 2008.
  54. ↑ Members on the Move
  55. ↑ Amazon
  56. ↑ Barnes and Noble
  57. ↑ A Must Read
  58. ↑ Solid Credentialing Book
  59. ↑ Book Review
  60. ↑ Book Signing
  61. ↑ Safeek Book Signing
  62. ↑ Fromberg, Robert (2010). "Attacks from all sides". Healthcare Financial Management. Retrieved 2010-08-30.
  63. ↑ hfm Magazine: August 2010?
  64. ↑ Safeek, Yisrael; Padaco, Gina (2010-09-04). "A Hospital Length of Stay Reduction Strategy". Physician Executive Journal.
  65. ↑ Safeek, Yisrael (2010-03-24). "Protocols,Prompters,Bundles,Checklists,and Triggers". Healthcare Financial Management.
  66. ↑ Safeek, Yisrael; May, Pam (2010-03-24). "A Preventable Mortality Reduction Strategy". Physician Executive Journal.
  67. ↑ Safeek, Yisrael; Safeek, Abraham (2009-07-18). "No Outcomes, No Incomes". Physician Executive Journal.
  68. ↑ Safeek, Yisrael (2008-07-17). "The Expanding Roles of the Chief Medical Officer". Physician Executive Journal.

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