It’s no secret – as humans, we all make errors. The problem is that in healthcare, these errors can cause patient harm, including death. With preventable medical errors being the third leading cause of death in the United States, it is not a matter of if your office will make such an error, but when.
Most medical errors are related, at least in part, to system's problems. So, absent reckless behavior and a conscious disregard of the risk, punishing the individual usually does not solve the systems problem. Frequently, the staff feel intimidated telling a physician that the staff or the physician might have made an error. However, hierarchies should not prevent staff from sharing matters related to patient safety. Today’s patient safety movement focuses on having employees feel comfortable enough to report an error or issue related to patient safety, so that all office staff can work together to create a solution.
Does your office actively promote patient safety by:
- Ensuring everyone is treated with respect and is comfortable questioning those with more authority.
- Encouraging staff to report mistakes they make or observe without fear of judgement.
- Listening to staff ideas about patient safety and how to improve office processes.
- Conducting regular staff meetings and group discussions on identifying potential patient safety issues and on ways to prevent errors from reoccurring.
A culture of safety allows for hierarchies but does not make them so steep that staff is reluctant to share errors, potential errors, or patient safety concerns for fear of judgement or discipline. It encourages staff to voice their concerns and to work together to formulate a system or plan that improves the office systems in order to promote patient safety. In other words, a culture of safety recognizes that all humans make mistakes. And the best way to address this is by implementing a process of teamwork and improved communication that focuses on improving patient safety.
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has a Medical Office Survey on Patient Safety Culture. This survey is designed to determine whether your office has a culture of safety. In addition to the survey for medical offices, they also have culture surveys for hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, and nursing home facilities.
Click here to access the AHRQ Medical Office Survey Toolkit.
Submitted by Kim Danebrock, RN, JD
Senior Risk Management & Patient Safety Specialist
This information should not be considered legal advice applicable to a specific situation. Legal guidance for individual matters should be obtained from a retained attorney.