Adverse events may occur in any healthcare setting, but those that happen in hospitals, where patients are sicker and care is more complex, can have serious consequences. To help hospitals tackle these challenges, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has introduced a number of new evidence-based tools and resources.
Its newly revised tip sheet, 10 Patient Safety Tips for Hospitals, highlights free tools and resources that can help hospitals prevent or reduce adverse events such as hospital-acquired infections and venous-thromboembolisms. Other resources can assist hospitals in reducing hospital readmissions, educating patients about using blood thinners safely, following evidence-based principles for hospital design, and working with Patient Safety Organizations.
Each tip includes a brief synopsis of the safety problem facing hospitals and how free resources from AHRQ can help. The tipsheet includes ordering information and links to the tools and resources on the AHRQ Web site. For a copy of 10 Patient Safety Tips for Hospitals, visit the AHRQ Web site at www.ahrq.gov/qual/10tips.pdf, contact the AHRQ Publications clearinghouse at 800/358-9295, or e-mail mailto:e-mail%20ahrqpubs@ahrq.gov.
