Mapping the patient safety footprint: The RADICAL framework.

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Quality and Safety
• Medical Informatics
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Patient safety interventions require robust metrics for measurable impact.
• Current metrics may not comprehensively cover all patient safety domains.
• A standardized approach to assessing patient safety is needed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce the 'patient safety footprint' concept.
• To present the RADICAL framework for mapping patient safety.
• To provide a comprehensive schema for patient safety assessment.

Main Methods:

• Introduction of the 'patient safety footprint' terminology.
• Presentation of the RADICAL framework (Raise Awareness, Design for safety, Involve users, Collect and Analyse data, Learn from incidents).
• Application of the framework in obstetrics and gynaecology.

Main Results:

• The 'patient safety footprint' encapsulates comprehensive patient safety attributes.
• The RADICAL framework provides a structured approach to mapping patient safety.
• The framework offers a worldview for understanding patient safety.

Conclusions:

• The 'patient safety footprint' and RADICAL framework offer a novel method for assessing patient safety.
• This approach enables comprehensive measurement and improvement of patient safety.
• The framework is applicable across various healthcare settings, including obstetrics and gynaecology.