Patient safety is a serious issue and outside surveys can and will happen. Most of these surveys will be unannounced, unless your healthcare facility is extremely large or requires advanced security clearances to be issued. Acing your survey is crucial because once the decision is official the result will be made public. Your healthcare facility must be able to ace their patient safety survey and we’re going to show you some of the things you must consider.
Know the Criteria
Go online and find out how healthcare facilities are ranked for patient safety. You’ll get insights into how these surveys are conducted and what the inspectors are looking for. You should have a plan in place for how you’re going to prepare the facility to be ready for an inspection. This plan should be ongoing and you should review the criteria regularly.
Cleanliness is a Primary Priority
Cleanliness will always have an impact on patient safety. Without a clean facility you’re guaranteed to fail the survey. You should consider employing professional cleaning services like deluxemaid to make sure that your facility is clean at all times. For this, your facility should be cleaned every single day, with a deep clean at least once per week. Your staff and the patients will soon be able to tell you whether your cleaning regime is having an impact. And they should be willing to work in a way that promotes cleanliness.
A Clear Chain of Command
There should be a clear chain of command for when things go wrong. Too many managers and people with authority who are too distant is likely to result in lower scores for patient safety. There should be a clear chain of command and a well-documented escalation system for when major issues crop up. Safety experts want to see that a medical facility is able to react in good time to emergencies.
An Efficient Reporting System
Reporting systems are important because little mistakes and errors can quickly turn into big problems. An efficient reporting system makes sure that managers are aware of problems and have a plan in place to eradicate those problems and prevent them from returning. This includes making staff aware that they have to report issues, no matter how small. Inspectors want to see that people are accountable and willing to take responsibility. It shows that patient safety is a top priority.
Keeping Accurate Records
Accurate records could make the difference between life and death. Keeping good records that are constantly updated and easily accessible has a major influence on the general safety of patients. You should have an appropriate record keeping system in place that can be easily understood by both staff and the inspector. This is particularly important because you also have a legal obligation to keep good records.
Closing Thoughts
Unless you recently opened, the chances are you’ve received an inspection in the past. Make sure you review your results and act on the advice you were given in the report. What inspectors really want to see is that you’ve improved since their last visit. They want to see that you care about improving patient safety. Improvements will win you higher marks and make it more likely that you’ll be classified as ‘Excellent’ in the final published result. Have you ever been surveyed for patient safety yet?