Celebrating Good Catches: Employee Recognition That Saves Lives

Healthcare safety often focuses on what went wrong, but what about the moments when harm is stopped before it ever reaches the patient?

In this Key in to Quality episode, host Tim Morgenthaler, M.D., and co-host Sheri Nemec talk with Shari Ochoa, M.D., Ashley Stapp, and Beth Terrio from Mayo Clinic Arizona about the Good Catch “safety in action” program.

They describe how a grassroots idea launched during COVID-19 with simple email shout-outs has grown into a robust recognition program with scoring criteria, dashboards, campus boards, and even a traveling trophy. Along the way, they highlight psychological safety, the five safe behaviors, and the value of recognizing both self-reported and peer-nominated good catches.

Listeners will hear practical advice on starting small, building infrastructure, developing meaningful metrics, and shifting culture from “gotcha” to “good catch,” so staff feel safe speaking up.

#mayokeyintoquality #patientsafety #keyintoquality #qualityimprovement #safetyculture

Host: Timothy Morgenthaler, M.D. | https://www.linkedin.com/in/timorgenthaler/

Host: Sheri Nemec| https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheryl-sheri-nemec-a627982a/

#mayokeyintoquality