Risk Reduction Strategies

 

What is the best way to prepare for patients each and every day? The best way is to create a safe, effective, and efficient system for providing patient care. It is to become knowledgeable and identify issues in an effort to minimize risks and maximize best outcomes. It is to be prepared. As a survey coordinator, you know best what your organization does and what patient population it serves. You have a distinct advantage in ensuring that the survey team understands your organization and how you operate
to maintain compliance and minimize any risk that might be identified. Demonstrating to the survey team that your organization has given thoughtful consideration to issues that may present risks to the patient and to the patient care process is an important aspect of the survey.

A basic risk assessment is a process to proactively evaluate the potential for adverse impacts associated with systems and processes, both internal and external to the organization, and related to patients, staff, visitors, and others with regard to patient care and safety or as required by law or regulation.

1. Identify the issue
2. Identify arguments in support of the issue
3. Identify arguments against the issue
4. Evaluate both arguments
5. Come to a conclusion
6. Document the process
7. Monitor the conclusion to ensure that it is correct

When conducting a basic risk assessment, there are several elements of focus. These include an assessment of the valuables that need to be preserved or protected, identification of any threats that might be present or possible, identification of any potential areas of vulnerability or loss, and identification of the controls currently in place. The primary goal is to identify the probability of risk.