Page 44 - Risk Reduction Series Effective Systems Part 2

SVMIC Risk Reduction Series: Effective Systems

and efficiently, ensuring patient and staff safety. Hallways, stairs

and elevators should be periodically checked to make sure they
are free from obstructions. All exits should be clearly marked.

Additionally, all staff should be knowledgeable as to the location
of fire extinguishers and trained on proper usage annually.

If, at any time, there arises a question of patient safety, staff

should evacuate patients to a safe location. A process for
maintaining a list of patients in the office and ensuring that all

have been evacuated should be implemented. If tornadoes or
hurricanes are a risk in the geographic locations for the office,

drills to prepare the office for responding to these events should
also be conducted annually.

Security Threats

Offices should also have in place a plan to deal with potentially
dangerous or disruptive patients and others. All staff should be

educated on what steps to take in the event someone makes a
threat to a provider or staff member. Exterior doors used for staff

entrance should be kept locked at all times. Exterior entrances
should have adequate lighting if employees must enter or leave

the facility before or after dark.

Equipment Safety

The selection, inspection, and maintenance of non-emergency
medical office equipment and devices must be carefully

monitored. When a patient suffers an injury involving a medical
product or device and a lawsuit is filed, the physician is often

named as a co-defendant, along with the manufacturer.

The ability to successfully defend the physician in these cases

will depend on documentation of the following factors:

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