Creating a patient-safe environment in a perioperative setting

As a result of new regulatory requirements and consumer demands for optimal health care, a focus on patient safety is even more important. In 2001, a corporate patient safety project was initiated by managers at one facility's six hospital-based perioperative suites. Although each suite had its own policies and procedures, no formal assessment of compliance with policies existed. A perioperative safety assessment was designed by resource management department consultants. The assessment included a tool, a questionnaire, and an assessment process. After being tested at one facility, perioperative safety assessments were performed in the organization's six ORs and two ambulatory surgery centers. Best practices then were shared across the system.