The Coworker Observation Reporting SystemSM (CORS) Program
Organizations routinely capture observations of unprofessional behavior by colleagues in their safety reporting systems. CPPA faculty speculated that the same processes used for coding and aggregating patient experiences could be adapted for use with coworker observations and if coupled with the tiered intervention approach could be applied to expand support for teamwork, patient safety and risk prevention.
CPPA’s Coworker Observation Reporting System (CORS) program became operational in 2013 and now supports more than 100,000 physicians, advanced practice professionals, nurses and academicians/researches. These individuals manifest, as with PARS scores, the same non-random distribution of CORS scores (see figure below). Individuals with CORS scores are associated with high malpractice claims risk and avoidable surgical and medical complications for their patients. An unexpected finding, however, was that PARS and CORS programs identify mostly different clinical team members. This reinforces the need for health systems to have reliable processes for addressing observations from both patients and clinical team members.
PARS and CORS processes are similar with two exceptions:
1) Patient feedback is typically shared electronically by patient relations team members, while coworker observations are typically shared in person by a peer;
2) PARS intervention data are provided annually, while CORS awareness interventions occur as soon as a professional's CORS score exceeds threshold.
CPPA’s data also yield subspecialty comparisons, such as individualized graphs of orthopedic sub-specialists in spine, ankle, shoulder or wrist surgery. CPPA similarly benchmarks other specialties and their subspecialties.