Top 10 Patient Safety Concerns 2022
Learn how to identify and address patient safety concerns in your facilities
ECRI’s Top 10 Patient Safety Concerns 2022 list identifies potential sources of danger for patients and staff. We believe these risks require the greatest focus for the coming year, so we offer actionable, system-based approaches for reducing these risks and supports healthcare organization to help them achieve total systems safety.
Overview
The 2022 edition of our list features many first-time topics, and emphasis is on potential risks that could have the biggest impact on patient health across all care settings. The number one topic on this year’s list has been steadily growing throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and impacts patients and staff on all levels: staffing shortages.
Prior to 2021, there was a growing shortage of both clinical and non-clinical staff, but the problem has grown exponentially. In early January 2022, it was estimated that 24% of US hospitals were critically understaffed, while 100 more facilitates anticipated facing critical staff shortages within the following week.
The list includes diagnostic and vaccine-related errors that can impact patient outcomes. In addition, several topics on this year's list reflect challenges that have arisen as a result of the stresses associated with delivering care during a global pandemic:
- Human factors in operationalizing telehealth
- International supply chain disruptions
- Products subject to emergency use authorizations
Are your patients at risk? Learn more about the safety concerns and systems-based approaches to eliminate them.