Page 9 - 2020 Risk Reduction Series Effective Systems_Part 1_Flipbook

SVMIC Risk Reduction Series: Effective Systems

Part One

Introduction

Clinical risk management is a top concern among healthcare

providers, hospital systems, and other health organizations.
The risk environment is continually evolving, requiring an ever-

shifting focus and anticipation of new issues. One component
of successful risk management tends to remain the same –

designing and maintaining effective systems that fit within the
hospital or medical practice environment’s culture. Everyone

who works in a hospital or clinic faces risk, and often, the
trick is to recognize it and be able to respond accordingly to

minimize the impact of an unsafe situation or environment.
Sounds simple, right? It can be if everyone’s goals are aligned.

Regardless of the healthcare team’s size or resources, with a
dedicated team of healthcare professionals and administrators,

developing highly reliable and effective systems to prevent
patient harm can be achieved. The desired result of minimizing

existing risk and taking steps to avoid anticipated risks can be
realized.

In medicine today, physicians and other healthcare practitioners
worry about missing something or discovering that follow-up on

a diagnostic test or specialty consult fell through the cracks. Not

having the opportunity to reverse the course on a delayed or
missed diagnosis, especially a life-altering diagnosis, can haunt
a physician and lead to a lengthy lawsuit.

Nothing represents these concerns better than a claim from

a patient or family of a failure to diagnose cancer. A recent

Page 9