Safety is central to the patient experience, according to a new paper by James Merlino, MD, Press Ganey president and chief medical officer of the strategic consulting division.
Here are five key points:
1. The paper suggests healthcare systems should focus efforts on incorporating safety as a priority in their missions to deliver high-quality care.
2. Healthcare systems should work toward a zero harm events goal.
3. The paper found a connection between safety, quality and patient-centricity.
4. Healthcare providers should use data and transparency to pinpoint performance gaps.
5. More than 400,000 deaths occur annually in the United States due to healthcare errors.
"If a patient experiences a serious safety event or is harmed by a medical error, his or her overall experience will be negatively impacted, despite the highest quality of care," said Dr. Merlino. "The time has come for the industry as a whole to embrace zero tolerance for patient harm."
