International Patient Safety Goals

International Patient Safety Goals

International Patient Safety Goals

The International Patient Safety Goals (IPSG) are a set of objectives developed by the Joint Commission International (JCI) to promote specific improvements in patient safety. The goals highlight problematic areas in health care and describe evidence-based solutions to these problems. The IPSG are designed to be applicable to all health care organizations and are intended to be integrated into the existing quality improvement and patient safety programs of these organizations.

Overview

The International Patient Safety Goals were established to address critical areas of patient safety that are common across different health care settings. These goals are periodically reviewed and updated to reflect the latest evidence and best practices in patient safety. The primary aim is to reduce the risk of harm to patients and improve the quality of care provided by health care organizations worldwide.

The Goals

The IPSG consist of six main goals, each focusing on a specific area of patient safety:

Goal 1: Identify Patients Correctly

The first goal emphasizes the importance of accurate patient identification. Health care providers are encouraged to use at least two identifiers, such as the patient's name and date of birth, to ensure that each patient receives the correct treatment and care. This goal aims to prevent errors such as administering medication to the wrong patient or performing procedures on the wrong individual.

Goal 2: Improve Effective Communication

Effective communication is crucial in health care settings to ensure that information is accurately conveyed between health care providers and patients. This goal focuses on improving the clarity and accuracy of verbal and written communication, particularly during handovers and the transfer of care. It also includes the timely reporting of critical test results.

Goal 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 their storage, prescribing, dispensing, and administration processes. Strategies include using tall man lettering to differentiate look-alike drug names and implementing double-check systems.

Goal 4: Ensure Safe Surgery

This goal focuses on the safety of surgical procedures. It includes measures such as conducting a preoperative verification process, marking the surgical site, and performing a "time-out" before surgery to confirm the correct patient, procedure, and site. These steps are designed to prevent surgical errors such as wrong-site, wrong-procedure, and wrong-patient surgeries.

Goal 5: Reduce the Risk of Health Care-Associated Infections

Health care-associated infections (HAIs) are a significant concern in medical facilities. This goal promotes the implementation of evidence-based practices to reduce the risk of HAIs, such as hand hygiene protocols, sterilization of equipment, and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE).

Goal 6: Reduce the Risk of Patient Harm Resulting from Falls

Falls are a common cause of injury in health care settings, particularly among elderly patients. 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 are encouraged to integrate the IPSG into their existing patient safety and quality improvement programs. This involves training staff, monitoring compliance, and continuously evaluating the effectiveness of the implemented strategies. Organizations may also seek accreditation from the Joint Commission International, which involves a rigorous evaluation of their adherence to the IPSG and other standards.

Related Pages

• Patient safety
• Health care quality
• Joint Commission International
• Health care-associated infections