Lauren Peterson

Mr. Ratliff

ISM 1

6 February 2019

Research Assessment #17

Citation:

“What Steps Do Health Administrators Take to Ensure Patient Safety?” ​Health Administration

Degrees​, HealthAdministrationDegrees.com,

www.healthadministrationdegrees.com/articles/healthcare-admin-ensure-patient-safety.

Analysis:

In any medical facility, safety will always be a top priority. Although the presence of

safety does not always mean you can escape liability, patient safety is still a requirement for

successful medical practices. However, when looking for ways to up the safety for patients in a

medical facility or hospital, according to the article, there are many ways you can do so.

One of the best ways to increase hospital safety for patients as an administrator is to make

rounds around the hospital as much as possible. Finding ways to get to know patients will help to

make them feel more comfortable in the long run. By finding out ​which procedures worry them

the most and why, you may realize gaps in your systems that you and your staff couldn't see.

Simply asking about and addressing these issues is an easy way to increase patient care and

safety.

During my first interview, Josh mentioned that motivation and staff incentivising is a

huge part of being an administrator. Without a motivated staff, there cannot be growth. Similarly,
this article pointed out the same ideas. The author claims that “having the most well trained staff

is your best weapon against safety risks… if your facility can incentivize additional

certifications, exam taking, and other trainings for ways to improve patient safety, this can

greatly improve the patient experience and reduce risks.” By incentivising and motivating their

co workers, administrators are better able to accumulate greater amounts of growth. As

administrators work to build up the workers around them, consequently, their facility will also

begin to build. These higher levels of productivity and promise will become visible, and higher

levels of comfort and safety to sit with patients.

In addition, although doctor hours are known to be grueling, administrators must work

carefully to not over-work residents, nurses, surgeons, or other members of the staff because

there can be harsh consequences. According to the article, by allowing for more flexible hours,

“hospital workers will get more sleep, enjoy their free and family time, which reduces stress, and

they will probably commit less errors while they're on the clock. That's a definite plus for patient

safety.” Although these types of flexible work days are hard to accommodate for, finding ways

to allow for such a schedule will have more positives than negatives.

Lastly, the article discusses the importance of patient education. By properly

communicating various medical needs or procedures to patients, people will begin to feel safer in

their various medical facilities. Furthermore, administrators must make sure children, seniors,

adults, men, women, and other patients fully understand their situation or procedures because

“children undergoing a type of treatment might need to be communicated to in a different way

than a senior.” Through proper education and communication, administrators are able to create

safer environments for both caretakers and patients. By training members of their staff in proper
bedside manor, patients of all ages will begin to feel more comfortable making the sometimes

scary trips to the hospital.

 What Steps Do Health Administrators Take to Ensure
Patient Safety?

Health administrators play an important role in helping hospitals and other

care facilities run smoothly while delivering the best patient care possible.
Safety should be the number one priority in every healthcare environment.
If you are considering a career as a healthcare administrator, or if you
currently work in this role, there are a number of things you can do to
ensure your operations are safe as possible.
There are 'nuts and bolts' type things you can do to make your processes
and workflow safer for everyone. But there are also creative ways you can
engage your staff and patients for constant feedback and communication
Getting to know
in regards to areas for improvement.
people at the Here are 10 patient safety tips for hospital and other types of facilities:
hosiptall can be
valuable to 1.) Make the rounds as much as possible. Even though your facility may
keep tabs on
whats not require hourly check-ins with patients, try to make it possible. The more
happening in you communicate with them, the more comfortable they'll feel. And your
your facility
 knowledge of their condition will constantly improve, and it will be easier to
Get to know
the paitents
fine tune care.
as well as 2.) Survey patients. Taking a patient history is essential to care and
the staff
keeping them safe. However, you can also continue to improve your level
of care if you ask for patient feedback. Patients will give you a more
objective perspective – one that has been on the receiving end of your
care. Find out which procedures worry them the most, and why. And ask
what would make them feel more comfortable. You may realize gaps in
Modivating
your staff is
your systems that you and your staff simply couldn't see.
key in 3.) Keep up with trainings and incentivize employee growth. Having the
creating
growth most well trained staff is your best weapon against safety risks. Help your
staff keep up with the latest trainings and resources for improving in their
roles. If your facility can incentivize additional certifications, exam taking,
Scheduling hours
and other trainings for ways to improve patient safety, this can greatly
can be more of a improve the patient experience and reduce risks.
responsibility
than a privilege 4.) Don't over-work residents, nurses, or other members of your staff. I
because of the
need to properly know, this is a tough one. It seems like it's part of the nature of the
space work business to work long hours. But if it doesn't have to be that way, don't let
it. Your workers will get more sleep, enjoy their free and family time, which
reduces stress, and they will probably commit less errors while they're on
the clock. That's a definite plus for patient safety.
5.) Utilize TeamSTEPPS. This acronym stands for Team Strategies and
Tools to Enhance Performance and Patient Safety. This is an entire toolkit
that you and your team can use as a guideline for making sure you are
following best practices, as well as responding quickly when improvements
can be made. The Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture is another
Organization
comes along survey you should consider giving your staff to access the safety culture in
wtih keeping
track of
your organization.
movement in 6.) Monitor discharges carefully. You will want to help reduce the chances
and out of
your facility of patients having to come back because preventative measures weren't
at all times
taken. Whenever someone comes back, try to learn what happened, why,
Dont be and how it can be avoided in the future.
affraid to use
third party 7.) Tap patient safety organizations for help. Sometimes it takes the eye of
organizations a third party to help you see your own mistakes and room for improvement
Give others
clearly. That's what these organizations are for.
your resources 8.) Create educational materials targeted at specific individuals. Make sure
so that you can
continue to children, seniors, adults, men, women, and other segments of patients
change lives
outside of your
understand their situation or procedures. Children undergoing a type of
facility