The HIM role in patient safety and quality of care

IOM reminds us that technology is only part of the initiative to make the nation's health system a safer one. Another significant factor is the human element. Change will occur when the culture and commitment to patient safety shift. According to IOM, change will "require a culture of safety and the active participation of all health care professionals, organizations and patients themselves." It is up to all of us to create a trusting, safe environment to look at the truth around patient safety and ensure open, blameless dealing with findings. We are letting go of a culture that no longer works. The efforts we make at a local level will play into safety in the larger environment. It is a journey--we will make patient care safer over time by taking action on what we learn from accurate and complete aggregate data. And it is a balance, with patient safety getting the greatest weight in commitments and difficult resource decisions. Patient safety will come from universal cooperation to uncover the truth--letting go of blame and finding resolution to problems, known and not yet uncovered.