Top 10 patient safety concerns in 2018

To avoid medical malpractice and make sure their patients are safe, good healthcare organizations stay proactive and identify actual and new risks of medical malpractice to better address them. Every year the ECRI institute, a non profit organization advocating for patient safety, compiles a list of the most urgent issues to be addressed by these organizations. The list, based on more than 2 million events reported to the ECRI Institute, highlights high priority concerns and new risks related to patients safety and proposes solutions to address them.

Diagnostic errors stay the main concern

Diagnostic errors and the opiod epidemic continue to be at the top of the list.  Poor Internal Care coordination resulting in  numerous medical errors continue to be a major safety concern as well. Staff bending work rules to circumvent or temporary fix what they perceive as a barrier or a system flaw and often unintentionally  putting the patient in unsafe condition is also a main issue faced by healthcare organizations.  The incorporation of poorly designed Health Information Technology Systems continue to have negative consequences on patients health.

The ECRI also points out the difficulties to manage patients with behavioral health issues in acute care setting. Another challenge facing healthcare organization is their preparedness for All-Hazards emergency such as Hurricanes, Mass Shooting and even Ransomware attack.

Device cleaning, disinfection and sterilization continue to harm patients despite continuous warning from patients safety advocates. Another subject of concern between the patient and the healthcare provider is how to proprely engage the patient and his family to be responsible for the patient health improvement when he is at home. The ECRI Institute also stresses the importance for healthcare facilities to have patient safety champions recruited throughout the organization who lead and support the patient safety cause.

Read more in the executive brief