DHA RFI: DAD-MA Enterprise-Wide Patient Safety Program Support Services

Notice ID:  HT0011-24-RFI-0187

Defense Health Agency (DHA) to establish a five (5) year, enterprise-wide Patient Safety Program (PSP) support services contract. The RFI responses are due by March 2, 2024.

The scope of this requirement is to continue to provide frontline patient safety support (PSP) at (71) Military Treatment Facilities (MTFs)1 and potential (4) PS consultants for DHA Patient Safety Program. These specialists work to provide Ready, Reliable, Care with a goal of zero preventable harm to DoD beneficiaries and Active-Duty members across the Medical Facilities in DHA. This action will establish a DHA enterprise contract for MTF patient safety programs to comply with Department of Defense Instructions (DoDI) 6025.13 (Medical Quality Assurance and Clinical Quality Management in the Military Health System) and the DHA Procedural Manual 6025.13 Volume 2: Patient Safety Program.

Contractors should be confident in providing the below requirements in addition to running a full MTF Patient Safety Program:

1. The contractor’s (Program Manager)/Focal Point shall meet with the Government team at least weekly, and additional meetings may be requested by the Government or the Contractor as necessary. The Contracting Officer (CO), CORs, and/or other designated representative will provide performance feedback to the Contractor as necessary. The Contractor Program Manager shall provide an agenda and minutes for COR weekly meetings in addition to bullet statements of work completed by each identified MTF. The summary of weekly bullets of performance should include but not limited to: major job performance topics, overdue Patient Safety Reports (PSRs), and most current MTF Leadership/Associated Network. Program Manager is highly recommended to have experience or gain knowledge directly after contract start; with onboarding contractors through the security processes of a Tier 1 Level.
2. Ability to conduct Proactive Risk Assessments (PRAs) with MTF leadership and assess all aspects of the MTF care processes for risks of patient harm. A PRA is the foundation for safety and effective healthcare. Many existing healthcare processes were designed to identify patient and safety risks. These include, but are not limited to the following: safety surveys, patient surveys, performance measurement (e.g. blood use, drug use reviews, pharmacy and therapeutic monitoring), actual event and near miss reporting, infection control (IC) practices, peer reviews, medical record documentation, medical record availability, biomedical equipment maintenance, Facility Management (FM) processes, security, hazardous material (HAZMAT) management, lessons learned from closed medical malpractice claims and other processes.
3. High level experience with event and near miss reporting. Staff must comply with DoD-mandated analysis and patient reporting systems (DHA Product or DHA selected Comprehensive Systemic (CSA) tool) and Joint Patient Safety Reporting (JPSR) system and provide consultation on how MTFs should use this data to identify system and process issues that could have or did result in harm. Contractor personnel shall assist MTFs in identifying the classification of each reported event; then advise on the level of assessment and investigation that is required. Request for Information RFI # HT0011-24-RFI-0187 Page 3 of 6  Additionally, the Contractor shall assist MTF personnel in education of all roles within the JPSR system; such as but not limited to: Reporter, Handler, Reviewer, View-Only, and Investigator at multi-levels with the chain of command.  Reports should be produced for the MTF leadership in a timely manner and PSR overdue rates should meet the DHA PM 6025.13 Vol 2 guidelines. Ability to provide education and training activities, in conjunction with Quality personnel, shall establish a mechanism to orient and educate on key patient safety principles and on elements of a reliable safety culture. Topics will include but not limited to: fundamentals of patient safety, risk mitigation, event assessments, and briefings to senior leadership, both civilian and military.
4. Experience with following DHA PM 6025.13 Vol 2 and the DHA PS Implementation Guide on CSAs. Contractor personnel shall conduct CSAs on all DoD Reportable Events (DoD REs). Additionally, CSAs shall also be conducted on any actual event or near miss deemed to need more intensive review at the discretion of MTF, Major Commands, or DHA leadership. Organizations shall use the format and methodology specified by the DHA PSP when performing a CSA. Develop an Annual PS program report completed in coordination with DHA Annual Report requirements.
5. Knowledge with collaboration on items/issues related to event prevention, risk identification, risk assessment, and risk control with facility functions. These functions include, but are not limited to: Executive Committee of the Medical Staff (ECOMS), Nurse Executive Function (NEF), RM, QM, PI, Infection Prevention (IP), Facilities Management (FM), Safety, Medical Logistics, Medical Equipment Management Office (MEMO), Medical Equipment Repair Center (MERC), Information Management/Information Technology (IM/IT), Education and Training (E/T), Pharmacy and Therapeutics (P&T), and Bioenvironmental Engineering (BE). Experience in reporting MTF patient safety events according to DHA PM 6025.13 Vol 2 and DHA PS Implementation Guide. Contractor personnel shall analyze the reporting process and events, recommend appropriate actions, and consult with quality, risk, credentials, and PI managers as appropriate. Ability to collect, collate, analyze, and provide data from facility event reviews, CSAs, PRAs, and other sources via a variety of communication forums. Make recommendations and disseminate information to appropriate facility committees and individuals for PS improvement purposes.

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