News: ECRI Institute publishes list of top 10 patient safety concerns for 2017

Information management in EHRs. Implementation and use of clinical decision support. Test result reporting and follow-up. These concerns topped ECRI Institute’s list of patient safety concerns for 2017, HealthLeaders Media reported.

They’re items that frequently top CDI program review targets, as well.

“The object is still for people to have the information that they need to make the best clinical decision,” said Lorrain B. Possanza, program director for ECRI’s Partnership for Health IT Patient safety, in the release accompanying the list.

ECRI’s full top 10 list of safety concerns for 2017 includes:

1. Information management in electronic health records (EHRs)
2. Unrecognized patient deterioration
3. Implementation and use of clinical decision support
4. Test result reporting and follow-up
5. Antimicrobial stewardship
6. Patient identification
7. Opioid administration and monitoring in acute care
8. Behavioral health issues in non-behavioral-health settings
9. Management of new oral anticoagulants
10. Inadequate organization systems or processes to improve safety and quality

Though it’s not the case with all the items on the list, CDI specialists will recognize some overlap between this list and the quality items that CMS monitors under the Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) program.

For instance, number three on ECRI’s list aligns well with the core measures. If a patient comes into the hospital with chest pains, there is a concrete list of things providers need to do and document to prove that they took the best possible care of that patient.

Patient identification (number six on the list) also overlaps with CDI focuses. One crucial aspect of a chart review is ensuring that all the patient’s information is listed and correct on the medical record. This helps ensure the patient receives proper care.

At the end of the day, the ECRI list has the same mission as CDI specialists always have. “Health information needs to be clear, accurate, up-to-date, readily available, and easily accessible,” Possanza said.

Editor’s note: To read about the list from a different perspective, visit HealthLeaders Media, here. To read the entire list and release from ECRI, click here. To read about CMS’ VBP, click here.