What is risk management?

Abstract

The concept of “risk management” originally entered medicine in the United States from the insurance world as a consequence of the medical malpractice crisis. With the realization that much negligence-related injury in health care can be avoided, a positive concept of risk management has developed, complemented by a methodical approach to quality assurance. Risk management and quality assurance differ in their focus and methods, but they have in common the objective of identifying and eliminating risk factors and ensuring adequate standards of patient care. If risk management activities are to be fully accepted by health professionals it is important that the latter be taught to understand that the process is not a witch-hunt but a genuine attempt to learn from errors and thereby improve the standard of practice.