One plane crash can end hundreds of lives, cost millions of dollars, and threaten the future business of an airline. As a result, the aviation industry is considered a High Consequence Industry. In response, billions of dollars have been invested and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has mandated that all 188 member states are required to implement a Safety Management System.

Safety Management Systems (SMS) is a systematic, comprehensive approach to managing all aspects of safety within an organization. It is based on four pillars which identify risk, take action to manage it, continuously monitor the effectiveness of the management, and strive for continual improvement. For nearly a decade SCSI has been a leader in training the global aviation industry in SMS. SCSI has taken this expertise and developed a four phase program to deliver these competencies specifically to the Healthcare Community.

Now, based on the success of these protocols demonstrated in the aviation industry, oil companies, trucking companies, and various other industries have begun adopting the system for themselves benefiting from the investments made by commercial aviation organizations.

Accountable Care Organizations are currently establishing the compensation model for all healthcare facilities from Medicare and Medicaid. This compensation is directly tied to patient care provided. By improving the management and team effectiveness with this system, hospitals stand to benefit rather than be penalized by the new regulations while creating the reputation of a center of excellence within the community they serve.