The American College of Surgeons (ACS) was one of the first medical professional organizations to recognize the importance of a systematic approach for improving patient safety. In 1979, the ACS published the first edition of the patient safety manual as a response to the malpractice insurance crisis of the mid-1970s. The ACS created the patient safety system as a program that coordinated related functions of quality assurance, risk management, medical staff credentialing, and peer review. The goals of the patient safety system were to improve the quality of patient care, reduce preventable patient risks, and manage losses due to professional liability. The system’s creators envisioned collaboration between hospital governance, management, and the medical staff. Using quality of care as a guiding ethic, they found four common interests involving patient safety (American College of Surgeons, 1985).
1. Minimize risks of patient injury. 2. Minimize financial losses due to malpractice awards and settlements. 3. Use hospital resources appropriately and cost-effectively.
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4. Meet JCAH/JCAHO requirements. In 1985, what is now known as the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) was the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Hospitals (JCAH). See Chapter 121 for a description of the JCAHO.