On-site Clinical Risk Comprehensive Assessment: Diagnostic Imaging

In diagnostic imaging care, the primary areas of medical errors and medical malpractice claims are a result of communication failures and failure to diagnose. Failure to provide proper patient assessment and monitoring and staff supervision are contributory factors in the delayed recognition of the deterioration of a patient’s condition. Unclear communication with other members of the healthcare team often will result in a delayed or unsuccessful intervention (failure to rescue) with avoidable permanent injury and death. Clinical Risk Solutions, Inc. provides on-site comprehensive risk assessments, and training in structured communication techniques, proven methodologies to achieve a patient safety-centered model of excellence.

Following a pre-assessment telephonic leadership interview and completion of a pre-assessment tool, a two- day, on-site assessment is conducted. A prioritized plan of improvement, resource tool kit, and educational sessions are included within the scope of the initiative.

The Diagnostic Imaging on-site assessment includes a review of the following areas:

• Focus interviews with key stakeholders and medical staff leadership
• Culture of safety, communication, team cohesiveness
• Organizational structure, leadership, strategic planning
• Leadership patient safety education session
• Effectiveness of medical staff leadership, committee structure, documentation, and communication
• Medical staff credentialing, peer review, and physician performance evaluation
• Clinical credentialing and competency
• Clinical practices, policies, and procedures
• Patient flow and structured communication handoff process
• Adverse event management process, data analysis, professional liability claims review
• Quality/patient safety initiatives
• Prescreening, examination, treatment, diagnostic, admission, and transfer of the Diagnostic Imaging patient
• Medication safety management
• Radiation safety management
• Select policy review—informed consent, interventional protocols, procedural sedation, physician order sets, emergency management and monitoring of high-risk patients, transfer protocols, turnaround times, discrepancy tracking and follow-up, critical test results, contrast protocols, MRI safety, delineation of diagnostic imaging privileges
• Diagnostic Imaging interface with ED, ICU, and OB, OR
• Compliance with ACR standards
• Medical equipment management
• Environment of Care standard compliance
• Security management
• Written comprehensive report with a prioritized plan of improvement
• Tool kit of resource materials