Patient safety is a very important element with the overall healthcare system. Regulations and new initiatives set forth by the Affordable Care Act have created much elevated culture of safety. As a result, facilities must now alter the manner in which they deliver and administer treatment to patients. A culture that once focused on transactions and bloated costs has now been replaced with one predicated on safety. Creating a culture of safety is no easy task however. In fact, it can be particularly difficult when older employee habits have been deeply engrained in the daily processes of work. To create a culture of safety, management must first communicate its expectations to all stakeholders involved. Communication is an integral aspect of patient safety. Communication is important because it sets the overall tone within the organization. Communication regarding expectations is particularly potent when top-level management is heavily involved. Consistent emphasis on quality and patient safety will indicate to all stakeholders that management is serious about what it says. In addition, communication and open dialogue allows for the exchange of ideas to better implement the initiatives. Through open dialogue, a culture is formed, as more stakeholders have a vested interest the overall outcome. Feeling empowered to speak up and improve an initiative provides

It is through this accountability that culture is formed and habits are engrained into the labor force.
Modeling behaviors is also very important when attempting to create a culture of safety. Communication can only go so far. Actually modeling the behavior that management wants to engrain in the company culture is critical. It allows all stakeholders to have a reference point as to expectable standards to safety. Through modeling the expected behavior, stakeholders also understand the minimum expectable standards for a particular activity. This reduces ambiguity and creates a concrete vision of how a task is supposed to be done.

Finally technology can be used to further create a culture of safety within a firm. Humans are naturally error prone. Occasionally, a firm may become busy, creating an environment were errors occur. Further, an employee may be very tired from a long shift and commit an error. Still further, a new employee may not be accustomed to the corporate culture and commit an error. In all of these circumstances, a well-intentioned individual simply makes an error. Technology helps to improve the likelihood of catching…