ECRI: Top 10 patient safety concerns 2023 (13 March 2023)

Summary

ECRI’s Top 10 Patient Safety Concerns 2023 list identifies potential sources of danger for patients and staff. ECRI believe these risks require the greatest focus for the coming year and offer actionable recommendations for reducing these risks.

ECRI conducts independent medical device evaluations, annually compiles scientific literature and patient safety events, concerns reported to or investigated by the organization, and other data sources to create its top 10 list.

Content

Here are the 10 patient safety concerns for 2023, according to the report: 

1. The paediatric mental health crisis.
2. Physical and verbal violence against healthcare staff.
3. Clinician needs in times of uncertainty surrounding maternal-fetal medicine.
4. Impact on clinicians expected to work outside their scope of practice and competencies.
5. Delayed identification and treatment of sepsis.
6. Consequences of poor care coordination for patients with complex medical conditions.
7. Risks of not looking beyond the "five rights" to achieve medication safety.
8. Medication errors resulting from inaccurate patient medication lists.
9. Accidental administration of neuromuscular blocking agents.
10. Preventable harm due to omitted care or treatment.

Recurrent Patient Safety Challenges

Over the years, the following patient safety concerns have made repeat appearances on ECRI’s list of Top 10 Patient Safety Concerns; the list begins with the most frequently mentioned:

• Medication safety
• Diagnostic stewardship and test result management
• Behavioural health
• Health IT
• Detecting changes in patient condition
• Workforce staffing, skills, and safety
• Culture of safety and the infrastructure for safety
• Device cleaning, disinfection, and sterilization
• Medical devices and supplies
• Telehealth and digital health
• Care fragmentation and poor care coordination
• Antimicrobial stewardship
• Emergency preparedness
• Infection prevention and control
• Health equity
• Patient identification