Patient Safety Planning Tools / Readiness
Begin safety efforts proactively
- Communicate expectations for how staff will respond when something goes wrong. Do not wait until something goes wrong to prepare.
- Consider including patient representatives in discussions about how to respond to instances of harm.
- Use existing huddles or organize specific ones on safety to gather staff feedback and concerns about the plan.
Set a plan for collecting information about adverse events
- How does a patient or staff member report a problem?
- What information is collected and recorded?
- Who collects the information and how?
Create a process for what to do with that information
- Who should be involved in an immediate conversation?
- Who is responsible for making immediate changes?
- Who will analyze the event? Conducting a root cause analysis is a critical step to prevent it from happening again.
- How will you report the event externally, if applicable? Some events must be disclosed to state and/or federal health authorities.
- Who will communicate with patients and/or their families as well as to colleagues? Who will support staff members following the event?
Encourage continuous improvement
- Solicit feedback from staff and clinicians to help your organization improve.
- Provide a forum for patients and families to express concerns.
- Consider more regular mechanisms for patient input, such as suggestion boxes, surveys, or a dedicated patient liaison.
This page was adapted from the Betsy Lehman Center's Patient Safety Navigator.