HFAP Implements New Patient Safety Standards

This year, Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program (HFAP), based in Chicago, IL, developed patient safety standards based on the National Quality Forum’s (NQF) 34 Safe Practices.
The elements that contribute to patient safety as defined by the NQF are:

• Leadership must ensure structures are in place for organization-wide awareness and compliance with safety measures including adequate resources and direct accountability.
• Measurement, analysis, and feedback must track safety and allow for interventions.
• Team-based patient care with adequate training and performance improvement activities must be organization-wide.
• Safety risks must be identified continuously and interventions taken to reduce patient risk.

HFAP has already implemented several standards that promote the 34 Safe Practices of the NQF. The 34 Safe Practices address areas such as leadership, medication reconciliation, and wrong-site surgery.

For more information, visit HFAP's website at: http://www.hfap.org/.