ECRI Institute ranks 10 top patient safety concerns for 2018

Diagnostic errors earned the No. 1 spot on ECRI Institute's 2018 list of Top 10 Patient Safety Concerns for Healthcare Organizations in 2018.

ECRI Institute compiled the list based on an assessment of more than 2 million patient safety events collected in the ECRI Institute PSO database since 2009, along with expert opinions from a panel of internal and external patient safety leaders.

"The list does not necessarily represent the issues that occur most frequently or are most severe," ECRI wrote in the report. "Most organizations already know what their high-frequency, high-severity challenges are. Rather, this list identifies concerns that might be high priorities for other reasons, such as new risks, existing concerns that are changing because of new technology or care delivery models, and persistent issues that need focused attention or pose new opportunities for intervention."

ECRI Institute suggested healthcare providers use this list as a starting point for launching patient safety discussions and setting priorities at their own facilities.

Here are the 10 top patient safety issues for 2018, as listed by ECRI Institute.

1. Diagnostic errors
2. Opioid safety across the continuum of care
3. Internal care coordination
4. Workarounds
5. Incorporating health IT into patient safety programs
6. Management of behavioral health needs in acute care settings
7. All-hazards emergency preparedness
8. Device cleaning, disinfection and sterilization
9. Patient engagement and health literacy
10. Leadership engagement in patient safety

To download a copy of the report, click here.