The following are three thoughts on the future of patient safety Dr. Gandhi shared with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement for a recent blog post.
1. Leadership engagement is crucial. “Some of the biggest areas for improvement are still around culture and leadership. Culture comes from the top, so you need leadership engagement…safety won’t be a priority if leadership isn’t fully committed to it.”
2. Focus on more than readmissions. “Safety is foundational for providing the best care across the continuum; so many safety issues pertain to transitions of care. Much of the focus has been on hospital readmissions, but just think about all the transitions between various settings — from rehab to home, or nursing home to emergency room or hospital to home health.”
3. Financial pressure shouldn’t be ignored. “For a long time, I felt that we shouldn’t have to make the financial case for safety; making care safe for patients is just the right thing to do…I hate to think that financial pressure is what gets us going, but financial drivers can be helpful.”
Read the full interview on the IHI’s Safety First Blog here.
More articles on patient safety:
ACS launches national campaign to improve geriatric surgical care: 4 objectives to know
Does product placement in the ED influence hand hygiene performance? 6 study findings
9 hospitals named regional Ebola, other special pathogen treatment centers
At the Becker's 11th Annual IT + Revenue Cycle Conference: The Future of AI & Digital Health, taking place September 14–17 in Chicago, healthcare executives and digital leaders from across the country will come together to explore how AI, interoperability, cybersecurity, and revenue cycle innovation are transforming care delivery, strengthening financial performance, and driving the next era of digital health. Apply for complimentary registration now.
