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)

Preventable incidents are a challenge that healthcare organizations face on a daily basis. In order to achieve the highest possible level of patient safety and quality care, it is important for organizations to find an incident reporting system that encourages reporting and fits their unique needs.

With roughly 86% of patient safety events going unreported due to fear of blame or retaliation, looking for an incident reporting software that allows for anonymous reporting can help organizations place the focus back on patient safety. (1)

Safety huddles are a key tool for healthcare organizations to reduce patient harm, ensure accurate, consistent communication between staff, and promote patient and employee safety. Safety huddles can be defined as routine, brief meetings, usually at the beginning of the workday, comprised of staff from varying disciplines. (1)

The meeting is a time for care teams to discuss patient safety events, relay information about areas of safety concern such as short staffing, equipment or inventory, and to establish safety goals. (2)

A Root Cause Analysis (RCA) is a systemic approach towards problem solving used to determine the root cause of a problem. (1) This process is critical in identifying strategies that can prevent harmful incidents and events within the healthcare setting. Hospitals and other types of healthcare facilities often use RCAs to investigate sentinel events.