Fundamental to the calibre of medical care is patient safety. Safe care is timely, egalitarian, people-centered, integrated, and productive. Globally, patients prioritise patient safety. According to the Patient Safety Institute, one-third of North Americans list it among the top three healthcare priorities. These are the most prevalent problems with patient safety that older adults and their families deal with.
Errors in diagnosis are frequent in-patient safety.
When a medical professional makes a mistake in diagnosing a patient, diagnostic mistakes occur. Diagnostic errors can result in a modest delay in recovery or therapy in certain circumstances, but they can also have very catastrophic consequences in many other cases. Delays in diagnosis can lead to negative consequences, pain, and even death for the patient.
To avoid diagnostic errors, several healthcare facilities employ patient safety facilitators. In order to prevent errors from occurring, they monitor unfavourable events, analyse the underlying causes of incidents, assist teams in creating action plans, and assess the risk of processes.
Patient safety issues are frequently caused by discharge errors.
Discharge: A patient’s departure from the hospital’s expert care might be a risky period. Following acute care, the patient has to know what they need to make sure their leave-taking is safe and comprehensive as well as how to take care of oneself afterward. They may become confused if they are inundated with information; conversely, insufficient knowledge may endanger the patient.
Most medical facilities will have a discharge procedure that patients must follow before they formally leave in order to reduce issues. Enforcing uniform discharge procedures can lead to better results. It might be easier to manage a senior’s discharge from the hospital if they and their carers or loved ones are aware of what they’ll need, including medication, mobility aids, care instructions, and assistive equipment like homecare beds.
Issues with Patient Safety Originating From Errors in Medication.
Medication errors encompass a wide range of issues related to prescriptions; they may include the patient being prescribed the incorrect medication, inaccurate dose instructions, or a poorly interacting mix of medications. Human mistake, like as slips in the paperwork, is the main cause of drug errors.
Everyone needs to treat it seriously. Since 1992, the American Food and Drug Administration claims that over 30,000 reports of drug errors have been made. The actual number is probably greater because the reporting are voluntary.
Patient Safety is Affected by Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria
Antibiotic-resistant bacterium strains have recently surfaced. It is caused by the overuse and abuse of antibiotics, inadequate infection control practices in certain settings, and a deficiency of preventative measures. The ability to cure infectious diseases is limited by the rapid spread of these strains. Treatment for several diseases is becoming more difficult, including gonorrhoea, pneumonia, and blood poisoning.
Antibiotic resistance contributes to healthcare-associated infections, another prevalent patient safety problem that can significantly lower hospital patient safety and care quality. According to the CDC, 1 in 25 individuals contracts an infection related to medical care while they are in the hospital. This equates to 722,000 cases annually in the US, where 75,000 individuals pass away as a result.
Hospitals can impose infection control policies, one of which is hand washing before and after patient interaction. Bacterial transmission can be halted by hand washing, especially when everyone is careful. In order to prevent these difficulties, a large number of elderly and immunocompromised individuals opt to age in place and have their medical needs met at home.
Patient safety is impacted by hospital capacity issues and demand.
Demands placed on nearby hospitals are one problem that patients may encounter. Although hospital beds are essential for patients’ comfort and recuperation, recent occurrences have demonstrated how quickly healthcare facilities can become overloaded with patients’ beds. It may result in protracted wait times, poor patient outcomes, and postponed diagnosis or treatment.
A lot of seniors are taking charge of their own treatment thanks to in-home hospital beds. With the help of these specialised models, the patient or their carer can adjust the height of the bed, making it easier and less painful for them to sit up or transition from the bed to a mobility device. One can include a hospital bed in their in-home care for anyone who has trouble moving around, is managing back pain or injuries, has hip issues, or is recovering from surgery.