International Patient Safety Goals

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International patient safety goals

International Patient Safety Goals (IPSG) are a set of objectives established by the Joint Commission International (JCI) to promote specific improvements in patient safety. The goals highlight problematic areas in health care and describe evidence- and expert-based consensus solutions to these problems. The IPSG are designed to be applicable to all health care organizations and are updated periodically to reflect new evidence and emerging patient safety issues.

Goals

The International Patient Safety Goals include the following:

1. Identify Patients Correctly

Accurate patient identification is crucial to ensure that each patient receives the correct treatment and care. This goal emphasizes the use of at least two identifiers (such as the patient's name and date of birth) to verify a patient's identity before administering medications, blood products, or performing procedures.

2. Improve Effective Communication

Effective communication among caregivers is essential for patient safety. This goal focuses on timely and accurate communication of critical test results and other important information. It also includes the standardization of hand-off communications to ensure continuity of care.

3. Improve the Safety of High-Alert Medications

High-alert medications are drugs that have a higher risk of causing significant harm if used incorrectly. This goal aims to improve the safety of these medications by standardizing and limiting their availability, using protocols and checklists, and educating staff about their risks.

4. Ensure Safe Surgery

This goal aims to prevent surgical errors by implementing the World Health Organization (WHO) Surgical Safety Checklist. The checklist includes steps to verify the correct patient, procedure, and surgical site, as well as to ensure that all necessary equipment and information are available before surgery begins.

5. Reduce the Risk of Health Care-Associated Infections

Health care-associated infections (HAIs) are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. This goal focuses on implementing evidence-based practices to prevent infections, such as hand hygiene, sterilization of equipment, and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE).

6. Reduce the Risk of Patient Harm Resulting from Falls

Falls are a common cause of injury in health care settings. This goal aims to reduce the risk of falls by assessing patients' fall risk, implementing fall prevention strategies, and educating staff and patients about fall prevention.

Implementation

Health care organizations seeking accreditation from the Joint Commission International must demonstrate compliance with the International Patient Safety Goals. This involves integrating the goals into their policies, procedures, and daily practices, as well as continuously monitoring and improving their performance in these areas.

See Also

• Patient safety
• Joint Commission International
• World Health Organization
• Health care-associated infections
• Surgical Safety Checklist

References

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