Each day, healthcare organizations face new and unique challenges that affect the quality of the patient experience. Healthcare risk managers play a vital role in combating these challenges, including reducing patient harm and preventing costly claims.

A “Patient Safety Organization” or “PSO” is a designation by the U.S. government that allows providers to participate in voluntary initiatives to improve outcomes of patient care. PSOs create secure environments in which providers can collect and analyze data to identify and reduce the risks and hazards associated with patient care. (1)

Preventable errors are estimated to cost the U.S. healthcare system approximately $187.5 billion to $250 billion annually. (1) Effective Patient Safety programs can improve patient outcomes, reduce costs, and decrease preventable errors all at the same time. In recent years, healthcare organizations have begun placing focus on reforming organizational culture in order to maximize patient safety.

Healthcare acquired infections cost billions of dollars in added expenses to the healthcare system each year. (1) With the healthcare industry’s movement towards value-based care, healthcare CFOs are taking a closer look at their organizations’ infection rates to identify opportunities for prevention.

With rapidly evolving patient needs, growing regulatory requirements, and new technological advances, it is now increasingly important for quality and risk management teams to adopt a collective and integrated approach towards patient care.  As Quality and Risk Management teams face new and unique challenges that impact patient care and experience, a collaborative relationship between both departments is key for supporting patient safety and the overall operations of any healthcare organization. (1)

An estimated 161,250 preventable deaths occur each year in U.S. healthcare organizations, which can cause harm to a patient’s physical, mental, and financial health. (1)

The Center for Disease Control estimates that on any given day, 1 in 31 hospital patients has a HAI, or healthcare-associated infection. (1) Up to 70 percent of these infections could be prevented if health care workers followed recommended protocols, including hand hygiene. (2)