When prescription medicines are obtained or used illegally, it is known as drug diversion. (1) The impact of drug diversion on healthcare organizations can be devastating in multiple ways—from a financial, operational, and patient outcomes perspective.

Safety in aviation has often been compared to safety in healthcare. (1) This is the result of significant achievements in the field of aviation as it pertains to both safety and quality improvement. Despite the number of worldwide flight hours doubling over the past 20 years, the number of fatalities has fallen from approximately 450 to 250 per year. This stands in comparison to healthcare, where in the United States alone there are an estimated 200,000 preventable medical deaths every year, which amounts to the equivalent of almost three fatal airline crashes per day. (1)

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)