Celebrating Unsung Heroes: Health Care Risk Managers

June 20-24 is designated Health Care Risk Management Week by the American Society for Health Care Risk Management (ASHRM). The theme this year, “Integral to Safe and Trusted Health Care,” acknowledges risk management practitioners’ efforts to provide a safe environment for their organization.

Read on for more about the risk management field and some equipment that can help emergency health care providers decrease risk.

What is Health Care Risk Management?

There are probably many people who are unsure of what exactly health care risk managers (HRMs) do, and some may have never heard of the title at all. 

An often-thankless job, HRMs are some of the “unsung heroes” at the administrative level of the health care field. Not only do risk managers help oversee patient safety and health care event risks, implementing systems and processes to reduce and prevent risk, the job can entail a variety of other tasks. 

For example, some risk managers focus more on how mitigating risk can financially benefit their organization, Overall, HRMs tend to be well-rounded, problem solvers that must think quickly on their feet. Their specializations include:

• Risk Financing
• Event and Incident Management
• Statistical Analysis
• Insurance 
• Claims Management
• General Business Aspects

Health care risk management is a broad profession, encompassing a wide variety of job titles and can be found in numerous organizations. The following organizations may employ an HRM:

• Hospitals/Health Care Organizations
• Consulting Firms
• Long-term Care Facilities
• Ambulatory Care
• Governmental Agencies
• Pharmaceuticals
• Insurance Brokers
• Hospice Care Facilities

Communication with Risk Managers

Providers, especially department managers, work closely with HRMs. ASHRM has four tips to efficiently communicate safety concerns and other issues with an HRM:

• IDENTIFY: Identify departmental risks that a risk manager could plan to prevent. 
• COLLABORATE: Communicate the risks to the HRM and come up with a strategy to prevent the situation from happening.
• ADVOCATE: Discuss how to avoid risks that involve patient safety.
• LEARN: The effort to always be seeking information about safety threats and risk management is a productive, positive way to improve the well-being of patients.

The notification of the existing risks in departments from someone experiencing it first-hand allows risk managers to better identify solutions to the problems. The collaborative efforts between health care professionals and HRMs facilitate a safer environment for everyone.

Choosing the Best Equipment  

One of the main aspects of the job is to identify department risks that can be prevented, and as SSCOR well knows, airway blockages and suctioning them can create severe risks for patient safety. We’re confident our devices can reduce that risk and create peace of mind for providers and HRMs alike.

Just a couple of examples:

• SSCOR’s DUET® Flat Back is designated for disaster preparedness and is the perfect addition to a hospital crash cart or a long-term care facility to be utilized in emergencies.

• SSCOR’s Quick Draw is an alkaline battery-powered portable suction device, small enough to fit into any emergency kit, and light enough to carry to a patient in even the most difficult scenarios.

To find the right device for your needs, check out our free guide, The Ultimate Guide to Purchasing a Portable Emergency Suction Device.