5 Best Patient-Centered Practices For Improving Safety In Healthcare Settings

Updated on May 3, 2023

There are several notable patient-centered practices for improving safety in healthcare settings. Time spent in doctors’ offices, hospitals, and rehabilitation centers puts patients at risk for healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). Patients contract these illnesses in healthcare facilities every day – while they are being treated for different medical conditions. Strong, structured healthcare safety and sanitary procedures keep patients safe from harmful germs or bacteria – and, therefore, HAIs. As a healthcare facility manager yourself, you should know how to defend your workplace against these outbreaks. You can maintain operational consistency, protect employees, and keep patients healthy. Read on to learn the best patient-centered practices for improving safety in healthcare settings. 

Curb Infection And Viral Spead  

First and foremost, curbing infection and viral spread is one of the most important patient-centered healthcare safety practices. Before you or your employees come in contact with patients, it is essential to thoroughly wash your hands. Every year, poor sanitization practices impact approximately two million patients. Throughout your facility, hang signs encouraging patients and employees to clean their hands, and cover coughs and sneezes. Workers should also be encouraged to stay home if they are not feeling well. For sick patients, consider quarantining them in separate areas of the facility. There are even several notable hospital expansion projects that were launched for this very purpose. Certainly, there are patient-centered care practices for curbing viral infections, outbreaks, and spreads. 

Invest In Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

After the spread of COVID-19, many healthcare facilities improved patient safety with personal protective equipment (PPE). PPE helps to minimize illnesses due to inhalation, absorption, and irritants – which can cause devastating health complications in your workplace. Some of the most important equipment to purchase are face masks, shields, and respirators.

Now, you can even buy a quality-molded silicone, thermoplastic, or elastomeric reusable n95 respirator mask with a better fit and filter design. These NIOSH-approved solutions are available in various colors and sizes, and their unique design makes them perfect for lower heat buildup and breathing resistance.  N95 masks provide effective filtration – that’s why they are widely used in healthcare settings. Surely, invest in reliable PPE to protect patients in your healthcare workplace. 

Engineer A Safe Patient Experience 

Engineering a safe patient experience greatly contributes to overall well-being in healthcare settings. Your patient experience should be focused on more than just making clients happy. Ultimately, it should aim to make them feel cared for, supported, and valued. To further acknowledge their safety, you can hang up signs that explain all the current measures you are taking. When patients think of you, they should associate a safe, quality, pleasant, friendly, and convenient experience. Seeking healthcare service already tends to be stressful and overwhelming enough. By prioritizing safety from the beginning, your patients will know they’re in good hands. Indeed, take time to improve the safety and quality of your patient experience. 

Establish Safety Compliance Protocols

Also, many hospital facilities have improved patient safety and well-being with structured compliance practices. As your facility continues to grow, you want employees to follow organized, standardized, and uniform policies. These protocols should be focused on maintaining insurance claim compliance, supporting safe treatment results, and facilitating centralized outlets for compliance. You should additionally set guides for building organizational community and establishing facility-wide compliance standards. You can instill a board of directors (BOD) and governing board to review and modify organizational policies when necessary. Absolutely, establish actionable compliance practices, plans, and protocols to maximize patient safety at your facility. 

Work With A Patient Safety Organization (PSO)

In addition, your healthcare facility can work directly with a safety-focused patient organization. PSOs create safe, transparent environments for risk and hazard identification, as well as patient care optimization brainstorming. Typically, these groups present healthcare organizations with patient safety data – which is then confidentially categorized, classified, analyzed, and aggregated. Some PSO groups even involve former patients for improvement discussions, feedback opportunities, surveys, and focus groups. Definitely, safety-focused healthcare facilities regularly work with PSOs.

Several recommended practices improve patient safety, experience, and well-being at your healthcare facility. Start off by placing an emphasis on curbing viral infection and spread. In addition, health and medical companies across the globe have suggested providing workers and patients with personal protective equipment. You can also dedicate time to revitalize your patient experience. Plus, it helps to establish clear, actionable, and structured patient safety compliance plans. Furthermore, work with a reputable PSO group. Follow the points highlighted above to learn the best patient-centered practices for improving safety in healthcare settings. 

The Editorial Team at Healthcare Business Today is made up of skilled healthcare writers and experts, led by our managing editor, Daniel Casciato, who has over 25 years of experience in healthcare writing. Since 1998, we have produced compelling and informative content for numerous publications, establishing ourselves as a trusted resource for health and wellness information. We offer readers access to fresh health, medicine, science, and technology developments and the latest in patient news, emphasizing how these developments affect our lives.