In a move to bolster patient safety and caregiver well-being, Cleveland Clinic has integrated a feature within its Epic EHR system aimed at preparing staff for encounters with patients presenting known risks.
The initiative, dubbed Ombudsman Urgent Safety Alert, features alerts when unsafe situations arise, offering guidance to caregivers on how to navigate challenging encounters.
These alerts, according to a April 16 blog post from Epic, are tailored to specific scenarios.
For instance, caregivers may receive alerts advising that a patient prefers to interact only with male staff due to previous incidents of making sexually inappropriate comments. Alternatively, an alert might recommend ensuring that a female caregiver is not alone with a particular patient, mitigating potential risks of misconduct or harassment, according to the blog post.
Through these alerts, Cleveland Clinic aims to address potential behavior issues, safeguarding caregivers from harm while maintaining proactive management of patient interactions.