Risk management is one of the fundamental pillars in delivering safe and high-quality healthcare.
Implementing effective risk management practices helps mitigate potential threats, ensure service continuity, and protect both patient health and staff safety.
JCI Accreditation requires healthcare institutions to adopt a structured approach to identify, assess, monitor, and control risks across all their operations. This process fosters a safety culture involving all staff members in the continuous improvement of services provided, ensuring quality and safety are maintained at every organisational level.
Within risk management, several key areas of focus stand out:
Risk Identification and Assessment – Through systematic processes, risks are identified and evaluated across all areas of the institution, from clinical and administrative procedures to the physical safety of facilities. This ongoing diagnosis enables the implementation of appropriate preventive and corrective measures.
Risk Management System – HER+ – Our risk management platform, HER+, allows real-time recording of incidents that may compromise safety, whether in patient care, equipment management, or working environment conditions. This system facilitates a swift response to risk situations and supports the coordinated and effective implementation and monitoring of action plans.
Incident Management – Recording and analysing incidents are essential processes for understanding the origin of risks and applying mitigation actions. Using root cause analysis methodology, precise and effective interventions can be made to prevent recurrence and guarantee patient safety.
Corrective, Remedial, and Improvement Actions – Following incident analysis and cause identification, corrective, remedial, and improvement actions are defined and implemented to prevent recurrence and reduce the likelihood of new incidents. These actions are evaluated post-implementation for their effectiveness, ensuring the measures result in real gains for patient and staff safety and overall care quality.
Emergency Response – Risk management includes preparedness for critical situations, ensuring teams know the appropriate procedures for a rapid and effective response. Specific drills are carried out, such as activating the intra-hospital medical emergency team, to train coordination and readiness.
Staff Empowerment for Reporting – Grupo HPA Saúde consistently and systematically promotes the involvement of all staff in risk management, ensuring they have the knowledge and skills necessary to report any incidents or situations that might compromise patient safety. In line with the “no blame” policy and guaranteeing reporter anonymity, a safe environment is provided that encourages open and transparent communication. To strengthen this culture, training interventions are implemented to reinforce the ability to identify risks, understand their significance, and effectively use institutional reporting channels.
Risk management is not merely a mandatory practice but an essential component of our organisational culture, ensuring integrity, safety, and excellence in all aspects of healthcare delivery. Staff empowerment, combined with a “no blame” and anonymous reporting policy, is a key strategy for creating a safe environment that promotes the continuous improvement of our services.
18, August 2025
