Researchers Recommend Adding Patient Safety Professional to Medical Staff

A group of researchers from several healthcare organizations, including the University of Michigan Health System and VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, has recommended the addition of a “patient safety professional” to healthcare staff in order to boost patient safety efforts, according to a study published in the Journal of Patient Safety.

In addition to ongoing patient safety procedures, such as checklists and reminders, a patient safety professional could serve as a resource as well as help achieve patient safety goals, the authors said. They envision the patient safety professional as an advanced practice registered nurse, who can help determine patient safety risks and develop and implement patient safety and quality improvement programs in addition to other duties.

The authors supplement their suggestion with real-life vignettes of one patient safety professional hired at an unnamed hospital. They also cautioned healthcare organizations to carefully evaluate the value of a patient safety professional before hiring one onto the medical staff.

Researchers Recommend Adding Patient Safety Professional to Medical Staff

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