Which safety issue can risk assessment help minimize?

Risk assessment plays a critical role in identifying potential hazards and vulnerabilities within healthcare settings, which is particularly relevant to minimizing healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). These infections are a significant concern in clinical environments, as they can lead to adverse patient outcomes, increased length of hospital stays, and higher healthcare costs.

Through systematic risk assessment processes, healthcare facilities can identify areas where infections are more likely to occur, evaluate existing infection control practices, and implement targeted interventions. For example, risk assessments can lead to improved sterilization techniques, enhanced hand hygiene practices, and the use of personal protective equipment, thereby reducing the likelihood of HAIs among patients.

While staff turnover, administrative costs, and patient wait times may all be impacted by various management strategies within healthcare facilities, they are not directly influenced through risk assessments aimed at infection control. Instead, those issues generally fall under operational efficiency or human resources management, rather than the specific safety protocols that risk assessments are designed to address.