Clinical Risk: What it is and What are the consequences

In recent years, the responsibility of healthcare facilities has increased significantly and with this also the need to reduce errors that can occur during healthcare practices. The clinical risk from an ethical point of view is relevant for operators and healthcare facilities both towards patients as they are responsible for them, and for their own protection in the event of complaints and requests for compensation for damages they may encounter.

Clinical risk: what is it

By clinical risk we mean the possibility that a patient may suffer harm that is involuntary but at the same time attributable to healthcare.

Clinical risk involves everyone, both patients, operators and healthcare facilities as human life and legal responsibilities on the part of professionals are at stake.

Clinical risk encompasses the entire set of practices and procedures aimed at identifying sources of danger, with the ultimate aim of reducing it as much as possible. During university studies, doctors, nurses and healthcare workers do not receive the necessary foundations to fully understand the clinical risk. Starting from the fact that risk prevention is based on in-depth knowledge of the risk itself, this is a very significant deficiency.

Furthermore, the Gelli law 24/2017 on healthcare professional responsibility has broadened the spectrum of responsibility of structures. It is therefore necessary for universities and healthcare companies to invest time and resources in training and preparing security measures and procedures for better management of risk management in the healthcare sector.

There are many different events that can lead to the emergence of a clinical risk: staff tiredness, staff shortages, stress, overcrowding of the departments, shortage of the healthcare structure. To minimize the risk it is necessary to create a structured and personalized plan for the correct management of any unpleasant events.

Clinical risk: management in healthcare companies, the four phases of Risk Management

Risk management consists of an accurate analysis of potentially dangerous activities that can occur within healthcare facilities. primary purpose is to limit the number of patients who are victims of clinical accidents, which can occur during therapeutic treatments.

The Gelli law requires healthcare workers to respect «Good practices for the safety of care». These alert professionals to procedures that can be highly dangerous for both patients and specialists. For example, the «Recommendation for the prevention of errors in therapy resulting from the use of acronyms, acronyms and symbols», shows all experts in the sector how to avoid errors due to the use of abbreviations, acronyms and symbols, recommending the use of a common language among pharmacists, doctors and nurses. In this way, every communication between colleagues, departments and offices will be clear, efficient and free of misunderstandings that could harm the health of patients.

To avoid and prevent harm to patients, and what can be serious consequences for healthcare facilities, ministerial recommendations require companies to develop written projects and promote staff training courses.

The Risk Management procedure in the healthcare sector is divided into 4 parts:

• Risk Identification: risk identification process in which the situations, behaviors and specific procedures that can occur during each event are specified, in a different way based on the specialized medical branch;
• Risk Analysis: risk analysis where the dangers and the reasons why unwanted events could occur are identified;
• Risk Control: control of possible losses based on the training of all those who work in the healthcare sector;

• Risk Financing: financial coverage. This is a management plan that identifies and quantifies the funds necessary for the healthcare facility to cover the expenses due to possible dangers.

Clinical risk: what are the consequences for operators

Judicial and civil actions against healthcare workers have increased significantly in recent years. According to the IVASS report (Institute for Insurance Supervision), approximately 14,000 complaints were made in 2017.

Operators can respond both criminally and civilly. In criminal proceedings, a healthcare professional is liable for the crimes of manslaughter and negligent personal injury and a judge will establish whether the crime has been committed; in civil proceedings, he is held liable for death and biological damage, for the purposes of compensation for the patient, it is ascertained that the damage was actually due to the action of the professional or the healthcare provider.

In addition to civil and criminal liability, there is also administrative and disciplinary liability. Administrative liability arises following actions for compensation by injured patients against healthcare facilities due to errors made by employees. Disciplinary responsibility, however, concerns the individual employee who has committed a healthcare mistake.

Precisely for these reasons, the Gelli law provides for the obligation for all healthcare professionals to take out insurance, to ensure that every professional can protect themselves from the risks that can be initiated by the same structure of which they are employed.

Working peacefully and protecting yourself from any compensation claims made by patients is therefore essential for doctors. With the help of Lokky consultants, you can sign up for the Medical Insurance policy best suited to your specific needs based on the role assumed and the medical branch chosen as a specialization, 100% personalized and digital coverage, free of additional costs and guarantees.