Improving safety for older people in the community

摘要

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ, 2018) has identified four threats to safety related to primary care, namely: errors in diagnosis because of a failure to establish a timely and accurate explanation of the health problem, which is clearly communicated to the patient and their family; breakdowns in communication both with the patient and their family, and within the healthcare team; medication errors arising from communication failures and errors along the medication management pathway, including medication misuse by the patient; and finally, fragmented care, especially involving transitions between settings including hospital and home. AHRQ argues that engaging the patient and family through collaborative communication and building a trusting relationship promotes safety.