Risk Management Program Analysis
Risks are a fundamental part of the organizational structure of any organization making risk management an essential component in the direction of an organization. Risk management is critical in healthcare organizations to facilitate the evaluation, monitoring and mitigation of potential risks that could pose harm to the patient. The risk management program discussed in the paper is patient safety as a way to provide safe patient care and a conducive healing environment (Allen-Duck, Robinson &Stewart, 2017). In order to make the risk management process successful, a quality and improvement process must also be initiated to aid in identifying potential risks and to improve the efficiency of the risk management program. Besides, healthcare organizations must ensure that the legal and ethical rights of the patient have been protected in accordance with the health regulations. This should be done without exposing the local community to injury or harm.
Role of the Joint Commission
The primary role of the Joint Commission is the accreditation of health organizations prompting them to continuously improve the quality and safety of care that is accorded to patients. The JC evaluates the healthcare organizations to determine if they are in line with the set regulatory protocols (Allen-Duck et al., 2017). Evaluation is done through observation of the running of the hospital, direct interviews with patients and hospital staff, and statistical analysis of data. Once the hospital has been evaluated, the JC can the certify and accredit the institution. One of the primary functions of the JC is advocating for legislation that emphasizes patient safety. Therefore, the commission has a part in the development and implementation of the patient safety program.
The commission pushes initiatives that focus on improving patient safety while also seeking to reform old and outdated rules. At the state level, the JC issues reforms concerning patient safety, the scope of practice of healthcare professionals and hospital-based infections. Patient safety reports from the hospital, their families, community and government agencies are sent to the Joint Commission for evaluation. The acquired information is used in developing quality and improvement measures to be used in healthcare organizations. Setting performance standards ensure that healthcare professionals provide quality patient care while continuously seeking improvement.
Through the Department of Health Services Research, the Joint Commission investigates the quality of patient safety in hospitals. External partners are involved in monitoring patient safety in the hospital, such as monitoring hospital-acquired infections mitigation measures and implementing infection control guidelines. The hospital should, therefore comply with the JC and continuously review their quality performance and reports on the progress of the patient safety program. Implementation of the program should adhere to the commission’s standards.
Since the commission mainly aims to improve the quality of patient care and safety, both the JC and the hospital should partner to identify the best and most efficient ways to implement the program. Analysis of the hospital’s patient records is essential to identify the high-risk areas and the best mitigation measures.
Roles played by different administrative personnel.
Healthcare organizations are governed by standards and policies that guide their operations and functions. The guidelines not only ensure that patients receive quality care but also risks to patients are prevented or reduced. Just like any other organization, healthcare systems have a diverse organizational structure. Healthcare workers are protected by some hospital policies in their provision of patient care within their scope of practice. Different staff members have different administrational roles and responsibilities in the implementation and development of hospital policies. These policies ensure that the hospital complies with the legal and ethical requirements inpatient care.
The risk management process requires that the hospital management work hand in hand with the risk management team. The joint team then designs and develops policies and regulations to mitigate the risks encountered during patient care. Procedures regarding the prevention of nosocomial infections, misdiagnosis and improper documentation are developed to promote safe and high-quality patient care.
Impact of the Quality Improvement Process and Management Programs
Healthcare organizations should ensure that patients under their care receive safe and quality care. It is, therefore, essential for the hospital to initiate risk management measures that focus on patient safety. Healthcare organizational risks that the patient could be exposed to include; hospital-acquired infections, diagnostic errors, billing errors, falls, suicide, and bedsores. Patient safety is improved through the organization’s initiatives to enhance patient care and safety.
Therefore, quality improvement programs aim at achieving the best result in inpatient care. Once the patient safety program has been implemented, the patient’s rights to safety and quality care will be ensured. Intensive evaluation of healthcare organizations is essential to establish if they meet the regulatory requirements. Hospitals can learn from adverse effects during the quality improvement process on the best way to provide patient safety. Once implemented, the patient safety program will improve the quality of care given to patients following the guidelines (Batalden, 2018). Implementation should be done systematically in different departments/ sections of the hospital in order to determine effectiveness. Besides, patient safety is a continuously changing and developing subject that needs periodic evaluation and revision of measures. It is crucial to keep in mind the patient’s rights of autonomy and privacy. All patients involved in the program should give informed consent before the program is initiated. Additionally, all patient information that is gathered during the risk management and quality improvement process should remain private.
Legal and Ethical Responsibilities of Health Care Professionals
Patient safety is a diverse concept governed by legal and ethical considerations that have to be taken into account before decisions regarding patient care are made. One of the critical principles in medical ethics is non-maleficence which requires that patients be protected from injury or harm (Durgun H., Kaya H., 2018). This principle is firmly rooted in the notion that patient safety is one of the significant priorities for healthcare professionals. The quality improvement measures and risk management policies implemented have the primary aim of ensuring patient safety and improving the quality of care accorded. Healthcare providers should be ethical and competent in their operations.
Implementation of the management policies requires health workers to oblige to the developed measures and procedures. A good example is mitigation measures to reduce the risk of acquiring nosocomial infections. Healthcare providers should be cautious to prevent cross-contamination between patients during care. Intensive infection control measures should be developed and implemented to minimize the risk.
Healthcare providers need to ensure that they work within their scope of practice when handling patients to minimize risks to patient safety. There are policies and regulations in the healthcare organization regarding the scope of practice of each healthcare worker depending on their speciality and skill level. The health workers should also work within the set standards of operation of the organization in order to improve the quality of patient care.
Healthcare providers are equipped with the necessary skills to provide quality patient care. This responsibility extends beyond the hospital setting into the community. Initiatives such as patient education, disease prevention programs and screening programs all improve patient care and safety.
Impact of the Quality Improvement Process
The quality improvement process that was initiated has dramatically improved the quality of care given by the organization. Generally, patients were pleased by the improvement in care hence increased patient satisfaction. Patient satisfaction not only led to a reduction in the number of lawsuits and complains related to patient care but also saw an increase in return visits and subsequent appointments. Patients were more inclined to return for follow up appointments as they were pleased with the care they received. As a result, the organization has been able to gain an advantage over its competitors in the area. An emphasis on patient care has resulted in reduced diagnostic errors hence resulting errors were avoided.
The use of the Joint Commission and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has enabled the organization to keep in line with the policies and regulations. Continuous evaluation allows for systems to be reviewed and implemented to obtain the best outcome.
Conclusion
The primary role of healthcare organizations is to ensure that patients receive quality, timely care. Risk management plays an essential role in ensuring that patients receive the best care through minimizing or preventing risks. Joint Commission and AHRQ work with the organization to implement initiatives and policies that guide the staff and organization. The quality improvement process is essential in improving the operations of the organization, following legal and ethical guidelines.
References
Allen-Duck, A., Robinson, J. C., & Stewart, M. W. (2017). Healthcare Quality: A Concept Analysis. Nursing Forum, 52(4), 377–386. doi:10.1111/nuf.12207.
Batalden, P. (2018). Getting more health from healthcare: quality improvement must acknowledge patient coproduction—an essay by Paul Batalden. The BMJ, 362, k3617. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.k3617.
Durgun H, Kaya H (2018). The attitudes of emergency department nurses towards patient safety. Int Emerg Nurs.; 40( ):29-32.