ECRI Institute Salutes Patient Safety Week With Free Content On Disclosure Of Unanticipated Outcomes

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 28 Feb 2008 - 2:00 PDT

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In honor of National Patient Safety Awareness Week, March 2-8, 2008, ECRI Institute, an independent, nonprofit organization that researches the best approaches to improving patient care, is providing free access to guidance about the disclosure of unanticipated outcomes.

With the increasing emphasis on patient-centered care and a culture of safety in healthcare, improvements in communication of unanticipated outcomes and medical errors should become part of a healthcare organization's values and culture.

In order to help with this initiative, during the week of March 2-8, 2008, healthcare professionals can download a Risk Analysis from ECRI Institute's Healthcare Risk Control (HRC) System called "Disclosure of Unanticipated Outcomes." This Risk Analysis, which includes action recommendations to improve communication with patients and families affected by the errors, is available on ECRI Institute's Patient Safety Center Web site.

The Patient Safety Center also contains resources that patient safety professionals can access for free throughout the year, including reports on the CMS final rule on hospital-acquired conditions, rapid response teams for patient concerns, healthcare facility culture of safety, and more.

Along with risk analyses on current healthcare topics, the HRC System provides actionable recommendations, tools, sample policies and procedures, and many other sources of practical advice for minimizing risk and ensuring patient safety.

ECRI Institute, a nonprofit organization, dedicates itself to bringing the discipline of applied scientific research to healthcare to uncover the best approaches to improving patient care. As pioneers in this science for nearly 40 years, ECRI Institute marries experience and independence with the objectivity of evidence-based research. ECRI Institute is designated a Collaborating Center of the World Health Organization and an Evidence-based Practice Center by the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. ECRI Institute is also responsible for performing the technical work of developing and maintaining AHRQ's National Guideline Clearinghouse™ and the National Quality Measures Clearinghouse™.

ECRI Institute