Risk in Health Care Management



Risk in Health Care Management

Introduction

Health care management is responsible to take care of all activities, function and policies related to the health care system. A health care system includes hospitals, Government and local authorities responsible for providing proper health care to inpatients and out patients. Risks associated with health care can be controlled through improving the quality of facilities deliver to the patient. Major risks, which can affect a health care system, are the financial, clinical, technological, natural hazards or disaster, inequality in health care. Legionnaire's disease is another risk which is a serious threat to the employees of hospitals, inpatient and outpatient, and visitors. Risk factors can be controlled through risk management policies which reduce the chances of prevalence of accident and injuries and minimize financial loss to the organizations. Risk management for the healthcare management systems can be defined as efforts made to identify, recognize and reduce the chances of risks associated to patient, staff, visitors and organization systems and all other assets (Risk management in healthcare institutions).

Discussion

Major risks, which are associated with the healthcare management include:

Clinical Risks

Risks related to the safety and compliance of patient due to conditions which have put the patient at risk. Patient safety is the prime priority of the management. Clinical risk management systems have been developed by health care managements to record rates of clinical incident severity ratings (ISR) for investigations. Major risks include ineffective identification and analysis of actual and potential corporate. Development of Inappropriate strategies for clinical risk treatment which can harm patient and organization as well is another risk. Unawareness of the current legal, social economic and political issues present within the organization is a main weakness which is a threat to a healthcare management. Improper establishment of risk management programs, strategies, wider objectives and policies.

Another risk factor is the improper management of time, resources and manpower for the control of adverse effects that can affect healthcare organizational reputation financially and morally. Equipment related risks are also present in healthcare systems. Emergency situation management protocols and incomplete record of medical legal data to the management if not identified in time affect the healthcare organization. Lack of responsibility from healthcare management at the directors and senior staff levels to keep records of past manual data, patient complains, morbidity and mortality rates, performance related surveys and questionnaires as the difference in clinical audits can appear on the review of past data (A Toolkit Desktop Guide to Clinical Risk Management).

Lack of clinical management programs organization from clinicians and managers also leads to the development of various risks. Similarly lack of trust on staff and their incomplete education to analyze identify and report errors lead to clinical risks. Improper identification of ongoing systemic problems and their causative effects due to lack of organizational learning. (Www.safetyandquality.health.wa.gov.au)

Financial Risks

Major financial risk factors about which health care management systems are concerned include 1) Responsibility of the Directors and officers of the health care organization to fulfill their duties and must ...