In 2023, GSPP Rehabilitation launched an interdisciplinary “Mobility Champion” team to address three patient safety priorities: pressure injury prevention, fall reduction, and safe patient handling. The team’s goal was to better align safety efforts that are often managed separately but share root causes and outcomes.
The team began with 12 employee champions made up of Registered Nurses (RNs), Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs), Physical Therapists (PTs), Occupational Therapists (OTs), Physical Therapist Assistants (PTAs) and four leaders (Jean Romano, Shawn Parsons, Sonya Wood-Johnson and Lindsay Furlong). It then grew to 30 members in 2026. Each Mobility Champion focuses on one of the three priorities and partners closely with peers leading the other two.
They act as peer mentors and change agents by supporting colleagues, improving patient outcomes, and meeting monthly to guide action plans, identify educational needs and support change implementation. The full team meets quarterly for training, data review, root cause analysis and developing safety strategies.
Their results are impressive. Not only has their work improved patient and staff safety with significant reductions in employee injury claims, unhealed pressure injuries and unassisted falls, they also have been recognized with numerous accolades and honors, including:
- The Joint Commission recognized GSPP’s own Penn Medicine | Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Specialty Hospital wound care LEAF program as best practice.
- The team delivered a podium presentation at the American Medical Rehabilitation Providers Association (AMRPA) conference titled “Mobility Champions: Focusing on Fall Prevention, Pressure Prevention and Safe Patient Handling.”
- Their work was recognized with the “I AM Patient Safety: Commitment to Safety” award by the Patient Safety Authority.
- The team was honored with a Penn Medicine Quality and Safety Award, which annually highlights projects across the health system for leadership, innovation and sustainable improvements in patient care, safety and efficiency (GSPP is a joint venture between Penn Medicine and Good Shepherd Rehabilitation).
Additionally, team members received an Impact Award for their poster presentation at Good Shepherd Rehabilitation’s DISRUPT conference in April 2026.
Tanisha Davis, a Mobility Champion, said the collaborative nature of the group makes it successful.
“The collaborative spirit of the Mobility Champions continues to drive innovation,” Davis said. “By openly discussing challenges and generating solutions, the team has contributed to measurable improvements. The work of the Mobility Champions demonstrates the power of teamwork, education and proactive care in creating a safer environment for both patients and staff.”
Despite their success thus far, the Mobility Champions have set the future bar even higher, with additional poster presentations and publications in progress, reflecting their dedication to improving patient safety and outcomes.