Overview
Health care organizations work to provide safe, functional, and supportive facilities for patients, families, staff, and visitors. To reach this goal, the physical facility, medical and other equipment, and people must be effectively managed. In particular, management must strive to
• reduce and control hazards and risks;
• prevent accidents and injuries; and
• maintain safe conditions.
Effective management includes multidisciplinary planning, education, and monitoring as follows:
• The leaders plan the space, equipment, and resources needed to safely and effectively support the clinical services provided.
• All staff are educated about the facility, how to reduce risks, and how to monitor and to report situations that pose risk.
• Performance criteria are used to evaluate important systems and to identify needed improvements.
Written plans are developed and include the following six areas, when appropriate to the facility and activities of the organization: