MEDICAL MALPRACTICE
is non-punitive. At first, people are likely to be defensive, uncomfortable and nervous. Emotions may run high. Reassure them that the goal is only to prevent future harm, and that investigation and analysis require open and
honest communication about what happened and how it happened.
Many states and the Joint Commission require that you perform an RCA after a serious event, but you can benefit from deep dives into the root causes of events regardless of whether they're required.
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The Accreditation Association for
Does everyone in your organ
ization know the definition of an incident and how to
report one? Do your managers know what their obligations are in reviewing incidents? When analyzing an incident, you should determine:
• the potential severity of the loss (cost/harm to patient);
• the probability that such a loss will occur; and
• the frequency with which it might occur.
You can then implement these risk-control techniques, and you'll have fewer adverse events, fewer liability claims and better compliance with state and federal regulations. Prevention is a lot less expensive than paying out claims. — CL and JK
Risk Control | Action Step
Avoid the risk | Determine that your facility won't perform a certain procedure.
Reduce the risk | Establish policies and procedures to
reduce frequency and probability, such as a correct-site surgery protocol.
Reduce the potential severity | Install fire caulk conduits in ceilings and walls.
Segregate the risk | Have IT data recovery backup systems.
Contractually limit the risk | Review contracts to determine who's responsible for breaches.
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LOSS PREVENTION
Play Prevent Defense at Your Facility
