2024 Patient Safety and Quality Benchmark Report

The 2024 Patient Safety and Quality Benchmark Report provides a comprehensive analysis of healthcare facilities' performance across multiple critical areas.

Download the report pdf here.

Data from all LHA Trust Funds organizations that underwent an annual Patient Safety Risk Assessment in 2024 were used in this analysis. This article aims to highlight the strengths and areas for improvement in patient safety, emergency preparedness, infection control, and other essential healthcare processes.

Overall patient safety processes across all key performance areas indicate safety protocols and procedures implemented to protect patients from harm are in place. The average score across all facilities indicates a strong commitment to maintaining high safety standards and zero harm.

The Key Performance Area that facilities are currently excelling across the state is Infectious Disease Outbreak Preparedness. Preparedness for infectious disease outbreaks is crucial, especially in the wake of recent global health crises. The data shows that all facilities have robust plans and protocols in place to handle emergencies effectively. Congratulations to our healthcare facilities on this success!

The top 5 most challenging Key Performance Areas included:

1. Hazardous Materials & Waste Management

Proper management of hazardous materials and medical waste is vital for ensuring the safety of both patients and healthcare workers. The benchmark data reveals that facilities are generally performing well in this area, with room for improvement in certain practices. Specifically, the accessibility of hazardous chemicals to the public continues to be a challenge. For example, unlocked housekeeping carts left unattended in hallways, unlocked housekeeping storage closets, various other chemicals accessible in public areas still pose risk. Hazardous chemicals and waste should always be secured and protected from public accessibility.

2. Emergency Preparedness

Emergency preparedness encompasses the ability to respond to various crises, including natural disasters and other emergencies. Although all facilities appear appropriately prepared for global pandemic/epidemic crises, we still have some challenges in staying prepared for everyday emergencies. These include challenges such as the preparedness of defibrillators with correct time stamps and ease of accessibility without clutter, expired items, and dust. Also identified is lack of knowledge by staff in responding to crises, limited staff training, and emergency drills.

3. Physician Ordering & Communication

Effective communication and accurate physician ordering are critical for patient care. Challenging issues identified include routine verbal orders being issued by physicians that should only be allowed in emergencies and implementation of HIPAA compliant text messaging options between staff and physicians. These may be some of the most challenging things to overcome, but they also have some of the most potential for patient harm. Verbal orders are frequently the root cause of medication errors and should be avoided if not necessary. Text messaging, especially with physician orders, has a high potential for error due to many factors such as auto correct, misunderstanding, lack of opportunity for read back, etc. If text messaging of orders are in place, they should only be done with the use of HIPAA-compliant software and organizational policies for staff guidance. The benchmark data indicates that most facilities have efficient systems in place, though continuous monitoring and improvement are necessary.

4. Behavioral Health & Workplace Violence Prevention

Addressing behavioral health issues and preventing workplace violence are essential for creating a safe and supportive environment for both patients and staff. A lot of emphasis has been placed on improvements in this category. However, there is still much room for improvement. Specifically, staff training and drills related to workplace violence situations, proper training for individuals who respond to security events, and use of debriefing to learn from violent encounters. The data shows a strong focus on these areas, with ongoing efforts to enhance safety measures.

5. Infection Prevention & Control

Infection prevention and control are fundamental to patient safety. Many of the issues identified in this category represent low hanging fruits that can be improved quickly, such as storage of items in cardboard boxes, cleanliness in air vents and light fixtures, stained ceiling tiles, and unlaminated paper signage. The benchmark data shows that facilities are committed to maintaining stringent infection control measures, with high overall scores in this category.

The 2024 Patient Safety and Quality Benchmark Report underscores the importance of continuous improvement in healthcare practices. By analyzing performance data across various critical areas, healthcare facilities can identify strengths and address weaknesses—ultimately enhancing the quality of care provided to patients. Please refer to your organizational Patient Safety Risk Assessment for specific information on your organization’s performance. We are available to discuss findings and ideas for improvement if needed.

Questions?

Contact Stacie Jenkins, Vice President of Patient Safety & Risk, at staciejenkins@lhatrustfunds.com or 225-368-3823.