Benchmark – Risk Management Program Analysis – Part One
Introduction
The healthcare sector is possibly the most important in any society. Many industries develop risk management plans to help mitigate monetary losses. The healthcare system also has risk management plans, although the focus is on preserving the lives of patients, rather than saving money (Moskowitz, 2018). Therefore, risk management is particularly important in healthcare because human beings may be at risk. One key area that requires monitoring is patient care in the intensive care unit. In these units, patients’ lives are largely dependent on the quality of care they receive from the nurses. Patients must be matched with nurses that have sufficient knowledge and skills that will enable them to handle the patient effectively. For example, a nurse should be able to handle every aspect of ventilator therapy (Rischbieth, 2006). Therefore, proper staffing of nurses according to their competencies is necessary to reduce mortality rates in the intensive care unit.
Standard Administrative Steps
According to Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act (MIPPA), there are specific steps that typical health care organizations have to adhere to to enhance the success of their risk management plan. Health care organizations have to meet the following standards to receive accreditation from MIPPA:
- Comprehensive Sampling: each imaging system needs association with at least three to four clinical samples.
- Technical evaluation: the imaging system undergoes tests to determine its quality and the clarity of the images that it produces.
- Quality in staff: this measure ensures that the hospital staff has the necessary qualifications to handle the positions given to them.
- Policy guidance: the body provides sample policies that encompass vital concepts such as patient safety, quality control of the imaging system, and compliance with HIPAA.
In my practice, the standard that directly affects us, in this case, is the quality of staff parameter. This parameter allows the organization to employ competent nurses and assign them tasks per their competencies.
Key Agencies and Organizations
Several organizations play roles in the regulation of health care practices. The Office of Civil Rights is primarily concerned with issues relating to patient privacy (Essex 2018). He organization conducts investigations on a case of violation of patient privacy and issues penalties on the same. The Centre for Medicare and Medicaid Services investigates the competency levels of professionals in the use of electronic health record technology. Facilities that show levels of incompetence face the consequences in terms of reduced funding form the organization. However, compliant organizations receive financial incentives (Essex, 2018).
Compliance with Set Standards
By proper assignment of roles and duties in the intensive care unit, the organization prioritizes the health and well-being of the patients. The patients have a higher chance of recovery because the nurses taking care of them are competent enough to handle their responsibilities responsibly. Nurses that have received proper training and passed a standard evaluation procedure will know that the patients’ privacy is paramount. As a result, there is a guarantee that the nurses will maintain the confidentiality of the patients’ conditions.
Nurses that have adequate training in the management of sophisticated hospital equipment are less likely to cause accidents while using them. Therefore, this ensures that they maintain a safe working environment that ensures their safety as well as that of the patients. Having individuals manage equipment that they are not familiar with may lead to fatal errors, compromising their safety. Putting patients in the hands of competent nurses ensures that they receive the appropriate quality of care that they deserve. As a result, this procedure promotes the chances of patient recovery, thus preserving human lives.
The organization is compliant with the standard regulations and policies in that it conducts regular assessments of the nurses’ competence in the field. These assessments help in the evaluation of the nurses’ performance in practice. Any nurse that fails in a particular area has to receive additional training to improve the competency levels. Continued failure in a specific area results in the transfer to a different field that is more comfortable for the nurse. As a result, these measures ensure that the patients receive the best quality care available at the health facility.
Recommendations
The health facility needs to increase training sessions for nurses on the use of technical equipment in the intensive care unit. Some nurses may feel ashamed to admit that they cannot operate a particular machine effectively. Therefore, it is the role of the organization to conduct training sessions that will help the nurses increase their competence levels when handling such equipment. Also, the facility should encourage teamwork within the hospital setting. For example, a nurse may offer training to a fellow nurse on how to handle the equipment. Studies indicate that people learn better when receiving lessons from their peers (Firth-Cozens, 2001). Peer-to-peer teaching will improve the ability of the nurses to correctly handle the equipment, thus ensuring their safety as well as that of the patients.
Conclusion
Patient safety is the priority of any health organization. The patients trust that health workers will help them get back to their normal health status. Therefore, health care facilities have an obligation to patients to deliver quality health care services that will prevent their health from deteriorating and help them get better. This action is achievable only if the health care workers are competent enough to perform their responsibilities well. Therefore, employee quality checks are necessary to facilitate the smooth running of the health care organization’s operations.