SafetyNET: An interdisciplinary research program to support a safety culture for spinal manipulation therapy

IntroductionA team of interdisciplinary research leaders have taken a novel approach to support a patient safety culture for spinal manipulation therapy (SMT) providers. The aim was to devise a team-based approach to identify modifiable and non-modifiable patient and provider risk factors.MethodsSafetyNET has four main areas of inquiry, led by five principal investigators. The SafetyNET initiative began with qualitative research regarding patient safety, including identification of potential facilitators and barriers to patient safety research. Simultaneously, a health law team is conducting research to identify potential barriers to patient safety research, including the risk of litigation.ResultsFeedback from both the qualitative and health law team is informing the development and implementation of an active surveillance reporting and learning system. This information in turn, helps inform our basic science team toward investigation of the potential mechanism of action for SMT-related adverse events.ConclusionOne outcome of the SafetyNET initiative is to provide a model for other disciplines and jurisdictions with respect to improving safety in procedures common to several regulated health disciplines.This article belongs to the Special Issue: Ensuring and Improving Patients Safety in Integrative Health Care.