CNA recognizes the importance of patient/resident safety and risk management in the evolving world of healthcare. A provider of professional liability insurance for healthcare providers and organizations, CNA HealthPro recently published a risk management toolkit, “Special Resource: Protecting Residents, Reducing Liability Exposure – An Aging Services Resource from CNA HealthPro,” which offers guidance on clinical, operational, and strategic subjects of concern to aging services providers.

“This industry toolkit is designed to encourage a proactive and systematic approach to enhancing resident safety and minimizing the overall level of organizational risk,” said Bruce Dmytrow, vice president – Specialty Risk Control, CNA. “It includes topics ranging from formatting new policies and transforming organizational culture to reducing the likelihood of resident falls, enhancing pain management and nutrition practices.”

The toolkit is a compilation of policy and form templates, best practice guides and self-assessment instruments that can help with essential organizational responsibilities, such as creating forms and documents, educating staff and leadership, and assessing critical processes.

In addition, CNA HealthPro, which conducts research on healthcare liability trends and alerts policyholders of emerging risks, has produced numerous client bulletins and risk management resources. Two new resources include:

  • Diagnostic Imaging: Sound Policies Help Reduce Test-related Risks – offers a range of clinical and administrative measures designed to address the most frequent and severe risks when performing diagnostic procedures, including pre-procedure documentation, adverse reactions to contrast media and falls. (in Brief® 2010 – Issue 1)

  • Wireless Sensor Technology: Aging Services Applications and Associated Risks – examines some of the potential benefits and risks of using remote sensing systems. This bulletin also presents strategies to help enhance organizational procedures for evaluating and deploying this new technology. (AlertBulletin® 2010 – Issue 2)

All resources can be accessed by visiting www.cna.com/riskcontrol and clicking the “Healthcare” link under the Client Materials section. This section also offers a number of bulletins and educational materials for the healthcare industry.

(Source: CNA Press Release)