Introduction
Patient safety is an important aspect of risk management in health care. Improvement of patient safety entails assessment of possible ways that could harm patients, prevention and management of medical risks, and analysis of incidents that harm patients (Leape et al, 2007). In addition, it involves reporting such incidents to management and consequently putting measures in place to ensure that they do not recur.
Improving patient safety is one of the methods used to improve the quality of medical care given to patients. In provision of medical care, patient safety is the most important aspect to consider. For example, during medication, surgery and other medical procedures, health care givers should ensure that the safety of the patient is guaranteed. Medical errors, poor quality medical care, inadequate patient monitoring, and uncoordinated patient care services compromise patient safety (Leape et al, 2007).
How to improve patient safety and quality of care
Several measures can be put in place to ensure patient safety during treatment and hence improve the quality of medical care. These measures include use of technology, use of evidence-based medicine, and improving health literacy for both patients and health care professionals. Improving patient safety and quality of patient care helps in management of risk involved in the health care sector because it minimizes harm and injuries to patients.
Use of technology
A study by RAND Health revealed that if health information technology (HIT) was adopted by the healthcare system of the United States, more than $81 billion would be saved every year (Wong, 2012). Adoption of HIT would help to minimize dangerous healthcare incidents that compromise patient safety and lower the quality of healthcare.
In addition, it would minimize the length of stay of patients in hospitals. Examples of technology advancements that can be used include Electronic Health Record (HER), Computerized Provider Order Entry (CPOE), complete safety medication system, and active RFID platform (Wong, 2012).
EHR is useful in reduction of errors related to drug prescription, laboratory tests, and several medical procedures. In many hospitals, medical errors are caused by failure to embrace technology. Illegible handwritten reports are a common cause of medical errors in areas such as drug prescription, medical tests, and treatment procedures (Wong, 2012).
Electronic patient records contribute highly in improving the safety of patients and quality of medical care because they facilitate efficient storage of patient information. Use of technology helps to improve patient safety by reducing diagnosis errors and improving patient monitoring (Wong, 2012).
Evidence-based medicine
Evidence-based medicine is an effective method of improving patient safety and quality of patient care. It combines research findings and results of a patient’s examination by a doctor. The doctor uses the results of research studies to make accurate diagnosis and prescription to minimize chances of harming patients (Leape et al, 2007).
In addition, this medical approach inculcates therapy, rehabilitation, and prevention measures that guarantee the safety of patients. It is effective because it offers healthcare practitioners a chance to use improved treatment methods and guidelines. In addition, it reduces cases of incorrect diagnosis and other medical errors such as overuse of certain medications used during surgeries and minor operations (Leape et al, 2007).
Moreover, it eliminates the risk presented by outdated treatment methods and procedures. These practices improve the safety of patients and the quality of medical care given. The field of evidence-based medicine needs further research in order to develop new treatment methods and procedures as well as tests for diagnosis of diseases.
Health literacy
Heath literacy is an important factor in the process of improving patient safety and quality of health care. Low levels of health literacy in patients compromise their safety and the quality of care given. After a doctor prescribes drugs to a patient, it then becomes the responsibility of the patient to take the drugs as prescribed.
However, many patients fail to adhere to directions due to poor comprehension of medication directions (AHRQ, 2012). Poor communication between a patient and a doctor leads to severe medication errors that harm the patient. Low levels of health literacy among patients result in negative healthcare outcomes that lower the quality of healthcare and cause harm to patients.
Patients with low health literacy levels are at a higher risk level of making medication mistakes and are more likely to be hospitalized compared to patients with high health literacy levels. This lengthens their stay at hospital and may be a source of health complications. It is necessary to educate patients on proper interpretation of prescription directions in order to avoid errors that harm them and compromise their safety.
Another dimension of health literacy is education of healthcare providers. To improve patient safety, it is important to ensure that all healthcare professionals possess the required qualifications for their jobs (AHRQ, 2012).
Health care professionals in all sites that provide patient care services such as nursing homes, hospitals, and beneficiary homes should possess the required qualifications for their jobs. Frequent training programs should be offered to health care professionals to ensure that they keep up with recent discoveries and research in their respective medical field (AHRQ, 2012).
This is necessary in order to ensure that they stop using outdated treatment procedures and tests to treat patients. In addition, it is a way of ensuring that they adopt improved medical guidelines that are geared towards improving patient safety and raising the quality of health care provided to patients.
Errors made during medical procedures arise from the actions of unqualified health care professionals who possess inadequate knowledge that does not enable them to offer quality services to patients (AHRQ, 2012). On the other hand, unqualified professionals make errors in drug prescription due to ignorance. Stringent measures should be put in place to ensure that all health care professionals are qualified and fit to provide medical services to patients.
Conclusion
Patient safety and quality of patient care is an important area in risk management in health care. Improvement of patient safety entails assessment of possible ways that could harm patients, prevention, and management of medical risks and analysis of incidents that cause harm to patients.
In addition, it involves reporting of such incidents to management and putting measures in place to ensure that they do not recur. Medical errors, prescription and medication errors, poor monitoring of patients, quack health care professionals, and low levels of heath literacy compromise patient safety and quality of health care.
Methods that could be used to improve patient safety and quality of health care include use of technology in the health care sector, use of evidence-based medicine, and improving health literacy for both patients and health care professionals. To manage risk in health care sector, it is important to put stringent measures that guarantee improved patient safety and high quality of patient care.
References
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). (2012). Tips to Help Prevent Medical Errors. Web.
Leape, L., Berwick, D., and Bates, D. (2007). What Practices Will Most Improve Safety? Evidence-Based Medicine Meets Patient Safety. Web.
Wong, Michael. (2012). Tips on How to Improve Patient Safety With the Help of Technology. Web.