Education Program on Risks

Running head: RISK MANAGEMENT 1

RISK MANAGEMENT 7

Risk Management Program Analysis - Part One

Risk Management in Healthcare

There are a variety of plans that can be used when it comes to   project risk management planning approach; however, a risk management plan determines risks that could be identified at any stage of in the life cycle of a particular project. A risk management plan assesses the possible risks as well as those that have been noted and then points out some mitigation actions to be taken. There is need to have the risk management plan to be adjusted at an interval and enhanced as the project is undertaken. This is because, more often than not, risks in most projects surfaces clearly when a project become more complex.

Purpose of Risk Management in Healthcare

Risk managers are individuals who have been subjected to immense training with the intent to handle many problems in various settings. The roles of the risk managers are presented based on the need of an organization. More often than not, these top brains primary undertake their duties in human healthcare, financing, insurance among other critical sessions within the healthcare system. Risk management in the healthcare sector involves clinical and administrative reports, processes, and systems, that are employed to determine, monitor, evaluate, mitigate, and avert risks (Querstret et al., 2019). The application of risk management in the healthcare settings help the healthcare organizations to plan ahead of time and ensure that their patients as well as the staff are safe. Additionally, risk management also ensures that organization’s market shares accreditation, and reimbursement are protecting at all times. Historically, the employment of risk management in healthcare settings has been geared towards attainment and realization of patient safety as well as minimization of instances of medical errors, which have the potential to hinder the ability of the organization to realize its objectives and mission. Nevertheless, the dynamic nature of technology and its impact in the healthcare has seen rise in cases of cyber-attacks that has presented potential threats. Also, the rise in political metamorphisms, medical science, regulatory frameworks as well as legal requirements has presented more challenges than before. Moreover, the health care settings have seen a tremendous growth and changes in the past years which augment the level of risks to the institutions. The tremendous changes have resulted in the shift of the financial risks from the payers to the providers thus the need to critically execute risk management in healthcare setting. Most healthcare institutions have enhanced their risk management associated programs from the initially reactive programs to more suitable programs that are proactive and have the ability to forecast risks in all dimensions. Most of the industry players conceive the need of broadening their net on risk management in the healthcare industry was above the medical liability as well as patient safety. The transition to better measures in relation to risk management has been lagging despite the realization of the dangers the industry is exposed. Examples of setbacks experienced by the healthcare administrators that should be finding their way into the risk management plan include:

· Mandatory federal regulations

· Patient safety

· Potential medical error

· Legislation impacting the field of healthcare

· Existing and future policy

Therefore, potential risks should be assessed and measured based on their potential negative impacts. Depending on the risk assessment, a management plan for a particular organization ought to establish, executed, and monitored.

Effective Patient Care Practices

The establishment and implementation of healthcare risk management plans and programs are primarily based on programs that are now subjected to intense research. Risk managers ought to be conversant with the current relevant information in their specific organizations because research outcomes could prove contradictory to assumptions that could otherwise transform risk management practices. The risk-management results are meant to ensure that strategies exist to enhance patient safety and limit any possible risks that may take place in the healthcare setting.

Developing Risk Management Plans

To establish an effective risk management programs or plan, it is very important for an organization to review other existing studies. Attainment of effective risk management plan can be achieved through adherence to the guidelines provided by the respective government agencies such as the FDA (Da Silva Etges et al., 2018). Depending on the kind of information that is provided by other resources, managers ought to carry out organization-specific risk assessments to help them determine the potential risks for that organization. Such assessments should help them determine the following:

· What may occur?

· The likelihood of something happening (risk measurement)?

· The severity of the outcome be if a risk was to happen?

· How to mitigate what may happen and to what extent?

· What may be done to limit the effect?

· The potential for exposure (the unavoidable)?

Implementation of Strategies for Patient Care

Risk management plans are meant such that they are specific to various healthcare facilities. Although evading possible financial consequences is one major concern for most healthcare organizations, patients’ needs are the main priority for such organizations. In clinical studies, for instance, Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) look at the proposed research plans prior to their implementation to ensure there are minimal risks exposed to human subjects. Risk management Plans ought to cover patient-specific risks and be documented well. Organizations ought to make sure that such plans are accessible to those who are working with patients. A significant number of risks that patients are exposed to can be minimized greatly by ensuring that the physicians and healthcare staffs are offered appropriate training that relate to their jobs. Additionally, ensuring there is effective communication between different sections of the healthcare institutions, provision of counseling services to the caregivers as well as undertaking periodic staff competency analysis.

Other risks that may be exposed to patient safety can be alleviated using patient-specific risk management strategies like:

· Limiting or avoiding the filling of expired prescriptions - Sending the patients notifications that are adequate of prescription expiration will help support communication between patients and their physicians thus limiting any possible prescription medication abuse.

· Professionals ought to ensure that they follow up on missing test results - Patients who need any additional medical tests that have appointments may fail to do so. Additionally, their test results could also get lost.

· Tracking the missed appointments – Implementation of a system for following-up with the patients who have missed appointments and have not rescheduled them is another proactive step that organizations may use in managing patient risks (Alam, 2016).

References

Da Silva Etges, A. P. B., Grenon, V., de Souza, J. S., Neto, F. J. K., & Felix, E. A. (2018). ERM for Health Care Organizations: An Economic Enterprise Risk Management Innovation Program (E2RMhealth care). Value in health regional issues, 17, 102-108.

Querstret, D., O'Brien, K., Skene, D. J., & Maben, J. (2019). Improving fatigue risk management in healthcare: A scoping review of sleep-related/fatigue-management interventions for nurses and midwives. International Journal of Nursing Studies.

Alam, A. Y. (2016). Steps in the process of risk management in healthcare. J Epid Prev Med, 2(2), 118.