The faces of risks in surgical patient management

Patient safety is considered a serious public health issue worldwide. In fact, the World Health Organization shows that 1 out of 10 patients is harmed under hospital care even in developed countries. This shows that risks are inevitable, specifically during surgical procedures. Thus, the assessment of risks is crucial so that physicians can perform their duties effectively and make consensual decisions for whatever surgical procedures they perform.

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In this light, tests are used in calculating or stratifying risks for patients undergoing surgery, especially in myocardial problems. This is summarized as follows:

1. General preoperative risk stratification

2. Preoperative risk stratification for myocardial events

3. Postoperative risk stratification

The purpose of this scoring system is to identify potential high-risk patients and focus on generating a multi-level risk-and-benefit discussion among hospital practitioners.

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Risk is a term that comes in many forms, depending on the expectation and experience of varying patient groups. In understanding and identifying these risks, there are methods to utilize. In integrating these methods concurrently with proper implementation, risk management could improve significantly. As a result, medical practitioners and healthcare executives, like Dan Bucsko and Kurt Weinmeister, can perform their duties well in improving the quality of care for all patients, and risks, such as prescription error, injurious fall, improper documentation, adverse anesthesia effects, and even death, could ultimately be avoidable.

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