FROM MY PT SCHOOL NOTES · HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS · UNIT 5 · CHAPTER 24
Risk management and patient safety
24 Risk management and patient safety How can a seemingly small clinic risk become a major event?
Core ideas from class
- Classify internal risks (documentation, staffing, equipment, falls) and external risks (payer changes, cyber events, referral disruption).
- Prioritize risks by potential severity, likelihood, detectability and how quickly action is needed.
- Build simple controls: incident reporting, escalation, staff training, safety checks, privacy practices and near-miss review.
Think like a PT
A patient falls during a supervised transfer. Address immediate safety, clinical assessment and necessary reporting; preserve factual documentation and follow policy.
Remember
Risk management protects patients and supports learning, not concealment.
Historical source note: State-specific liability guidance and old insurance examples require current verification.
From my class sources: 12 Risk Management.pdf. These are personal school notes with newer editorial context—not a current legal, payroll, payer-contract or reimbursement manual. Check applicable rules and dates before professional use.
