Running head: PATIENTS’ RISK MANAGEMENT IN HEALTHCARE 1

Risk Management in Health Care Related to Shortage of Staff Clinical and Financial Limitations

Student’s Name

Institutional Affiliation
PATIENTS’ RISK MANAGEMENT IN HEALTHCARE 2

Table of Contents

Risk Management in Health Care Related to Shortage of Staff Clinical and Financial Limitations

.........................................................................................................................................................3

Patient’s Risks Associated with Shortage of Clinical Staff.............................................................3

Patient’s Risks Associated with Financial Limitations...................................................................6

Ways to Manage Patient’s Risks Associated with Shortage of Staffs.............................................8

Ways to Manage Patient’s Risks Associated with Financial Limitations.....................................10

Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................12

References......................................................................................................................................13
PATIENTS’ RISK MANAGEMENT IN HEALTHCARE 3

Risk Management in Health Care Related to Shortage of Staff Clinical and Financial

Limitations

Patient safety is described as the aspect of preventing and protecting a patient from harm

during the healthcare delivery process. It is a key aspect in healthcare and social care as all

hospital administration and treatment activities are directed towards preventing patient’s harm to

improve their general outcome. Subsequently, risk management is defined as the process of

identifying factors that likely to facilitate harm to a patient and deriving a range of different

strategies to mitigate them. The issues associated with the management of patient risks has

gradually gained prominence after a series of studies showed that the number of deaths from

preventable factors in hospitals was more than the number of deaths resulting from road traffics

and breast cancer. A recent study on the efficiency of hospital practice showed that an

approximate of 4% of patients suffer from some kind of harm in the hospital (Vincent &

Amalberti, 2016). Thus, a variety of healthcare centers have developed and adopted a wide range

of healthcare policies to improve the outcome of patients and preventing harm. An analysis of

risk management and patient safety techniques is significant towards enhancing patient’s

wellbeing and the general outcome during the delivery of care services.

Patient’s Risks Associated with Shortage of Clinical Staff.

One of the factors that greatly contribute to health risks in a healthcare envelopment is a

shortage of staffs which can affect patients’ safety in a variety of ways. For instance, a shortage

of staffs leads to long waiting lists in the delivery of healthcare. This is ascribed to the point that

healthcare providers are often forced to diagnose and treat a large group of patients who suffer

from different diseases. With an inadequate ratio of healthcare providers to the patients in need

of medical attention, some patients are obliged to wait for long waiting hours before receiving
PATIENTS’ RISK MANAGEMENT IN HEALTHCARE 4

treatment and medical attention (Adams, 2014). More specifically, health care providers

incorporate the triage strategy where they attend to the most serious medical cases first before

other medical cases and medical emergencies. Despite the strategy being efficient in caring for a

wide range of patients with limited staff, it poses great risks to patients whose conditions worsen

for lack of early treatment intervention. For example, a patient who is admitted to an Emergency

Room with a mild head concussion resulting from a fall may be delayed in receiving medical

attention based on the point that he/she can walk independently. However, there could be some

internal bleeding which could result in a permanent brain injury or even death if not properly

treated; thereby compromising patient safety.

Consequently, a shortage of staff in the healthcare environment tends to facilitate burnout

among healthcare providers. This is a syndrome that is commonly categorized by both emotional

and physical exhaustion. Health care providers tend to work for long hours as a result of a

shortage of staff members. They barely have time to rest especially when there emergencies and

disasters. According to Adams (2014), adults require rest and a sleep duration of 7-9 hours for

their brains to be refreshed and function normally. As such, lack of enough rest among the

healthcare providers influences them to lose control in over their healthcare activities. In some

instances, the healthcare providers experience feelings of emotional depreciation and poor

engagement with the patients which impair their ability to make informed health decisions. In

accordance with Adams (2014), most health-related mistakes are caused by burnout among the

healthcare providers which poses a threat to the patient wellbeing and safety.

In addition, a shortage of staffs in a healthcare environment leads to time constraints

between health care providers and patients. This is a significant health risk to the patients’

wellbeing and safety since it deters delivery of patient-centered care. Healthcare providers are
PATIENTS’ RISK MANAGEMENT IN HEALTHCARE 5

obliged to develop initiate a unique relationship with the patients in the delivery of care services

(Adams, 2014). To be more precise, they are required to learn and respect patient’s preferences,

educate patients about health conditions, offer physical and emotional comfort, and assist

patients to accept their diagnosis. Therefore, it would be factual to state that a shortage of staffs

fosters patients risk and reduces safety by deterring patient-centered care. For instance, in a

situation where a patient is diagnosed with diabetes which is a chronic disease that warrants

regular maintenance and adherence to prescriptions, lack of patient education about the condition

could negatively influence patient safety.

Another health risk associated with the shortage of staff in a healthcare environment is

the fact that it leads to higher prices for medical consultations. The prices are bound to hike

given the high demand in health care services among a steadily increasing population in a limited

number of clinical staff members. In harmony with Adams (2014), this is a significant risk to the

patients as it deters their accessibility to health care services. As a result, the overall patient’s

wellbeing and safety are compromised since patients only tend to seek medical intervention

when their health conditions are severe. Patient’s safety is also comprised since some patients

will turn to self-medication which could pose a significant risk for their health.

Lastly but not least, a shortage of staff influences healthcare risks to a patient by

lowering the quality of care. This is particularly apparent in patients with chronic diseases that

need follow up care and attention. As a result of a shortage of staffs, healthcare providers are

overwhelmed at the hospital centers and lack enough time to follow up with patients after being

discharged. This negatively affects patients’ safety and increases their chance of being re-

admitted to the hospital.

Patient’s Risks Associated with Financial Limitations

The other factor that greatly contributes to health risks and safety in a healthcare

envelopment are linked to financial limitations which affect healthcare delivery in six significant

ways. First and foremost, financial limitations lead to a deflection of healthcare services;

whereby, health care providers refuse to treat patients and refer them to other health care

organizations (Penson, 2016). As a consequence, this leads to unnecessary delays in receiving

healthcare intervention which is a risk to the patient’s wellbeing and outcome. In some instances,

deflection of the services could lead to deterioration of a patient’s condition which could result in

the death of the patient. This could also lead to confusion where a patient may get the low-

quality care services from the unspecialized professionals thereby undermining patients’ safety

and overall wellbeing.

Second, financial limitations lead to a lack of adequate healthcare resources. This is

attributed to the point that a hospital may lack enough funds to purchase resources that can

sustain an advance number of patients. For instance, a patient may fail to be admitted to a health

care center due to toe the hospital being stretched and the hospital beds were full. According to

Penson (2016), this is a great risk to the patient as accessibility to medical intervention is delayed

which could negatively influence their safety and wellbeing. Lack of adequate health care

resources may also lead to some patients being discharged early to give room for a new patient

who need to utilize limited resources. This is a major risk on the well-being of the patients who

may experience unforeseen complications if not adequately cared for.

Third, the financial limitation could also contribute Patient’s Risks and safety by

impairing healthcare decisions and utilization of resources. This is attributed to the point that

health care providers are aimed at maximizing cost-effectiveness when delivering health care
PATIENTS’ RISK MANAGEMENT IN HEALTHCARE 7

services to the patients (Penson, 2016). As such and instances when financial resources are

limited, health care providers may see it appropriate to omit some treatments procedures that

may seem unnecessary to a patient. For instance, when a patient visits a healthcare center with

symptoms that relate to a particular disease, medications may be prescribed with no further

clinical tests to ascertain that he/she has the condition in which he is being treated for. With that

said, financial limitation aggravates the risk of misdiagnosis among patients which could

negatively influence their wellbeing or result to death in the most severe cases.

Fourth, factors associated with financial limitation in the field of healthcare could

influence patient risk through the selection and classification of patients based on personal

characteristics. This is in relation to the point that healthcare providers get to choose who should

utilize healthcare resources and who should be denied access. This is a significant risk to the

patient’s safety, particularly, when patients have led an unhealthy lifestyle. For instance, a

smoker may be denied surgery services at the expense of a non-smoker since they have better

chances of recovering efficiently. Consequently, an overweight individual may also be denied

some medical services based on their characteristic which could result in a negative impact on

their wellbeing. Using personal characteristics to determine eligibility to use healthcare services

is a significant risk to patients’ safety and positive outcomes.

Lastly, financial limitations may facilitate healthcare risks by diluting the health services

offered to the patient. This is in relation to the point that health services may be offered to a

patient, but the frequency of accessing the services is reduced (Penson, 2016). For instance, a

patient undergoing a physical therapy may need weekly appoints with a healthcare provider;

however, the appointments are prolonged to two weeks in order to cut on the cost of treatment
PATIENTS’ RISK MANAGEMENT IN HEALTHCARE 8

and utilization of limited healthcare resources. This is a significant risk to a patient as such

measures could reduce the quality and efficiency of the health services rendered to the patient.

Ways to Manage Patient’s Risks Associated with Shortage of Staffs

Nonetheless, despite the negative implication of the shortage of staff in a healthcare

environment, there are different strategies that can be used to address and manage the risks

resulting from the situation. According to Flynn (2016), the government should invest heavily in

nursing education so as to influence and encourage more individuals to undertake health care

courses. This is ascribed to the point that one of the main contributors to the shortage in clinical

staff is high prices that are charged as tuition fees to obtain certification as healthcare providers.

Thus, a wide range of individuals with a passion to care for patients ends up being directed to

other courses that are more affordable and manageable. Investment in nursing education will also

address the challenge associated with lack of adequate healthcare educators which deters some

institutions from offering some healthcare related courses. Thus, investment in education on

health-related courses will encourage and attract more individuals towards undertaking the

course.

Another strategy that can be used to manage healthcare related risks associated with a

shortage of staff is the facilitation of staff retention for those who are already in the field of

health care. This is attributed to the point that most healthcare providers tend to quit their jobs

due to the straining working condition that consequently leads to burnout. Health care centers

can mitigate the health risks caused by a high turnover rate among the clinical staff by creating a

conducive working environment with a flexible schedule (Flynn, 2016). This will allow health

care providers to a have a strong work-life balance which will in turn influence job satisfaction
PATIENTS’ RISK MANAGEMENT IN HEALTHCARE 9

and loyalty to remain in the field of healthcare. The healthcare centers can also promote career

development among its clinical staff. They should be able to support their employees to advance

their education to be eligible for promotions and better salaries that could improve their way of

living.

In addition, the healthcare centers could manage healthcare risks associated with the

shortage of clinical staffs through the integration of the latest types of technology within the

healthcare environment. This will automate some of the healthcare services offered to patients

thereby leading to a reduction in waiting times, increase in the efficiency of the health services

offered, and a reduction in healthcare providers’ burnout. More specifically, automation of health

delivery will facilitate the delivery and monitoring of a wide range of patient with a few clinical

staff members (Flynn, 2016). Furthermore, the integration of technology to automate healthcare

delivery will also improve communication among clinical staffs and foster teamwork during the

delivery of care. Thus, no healthcare provider will feel overwhelmed with caring for a patient as

they will receive both emotional and physical support from their colleagues. To be more precise,

delivery of health services and monitoring of patients will be a team effort which allows health

professionals to have flexible schedules to rest and freshen up.

The next strategy towards addressing the patient’s risks associated with a shortage of

clinical staff is hiring and recruiting of nonphysical clinicians also known as medical assistants.

The individuals would undergo basic medical training which would allow them to delegate and

execute some of the hospital duties within the healthcare environment. According to Flynn

(2016), this would be a critical strategy towards reducing the pressured that is bestowed on

clinical staffs and major facilities of clinical burnout. As a result, it will be a major step towards

ensuring the patient receives high-quality care at all times. In addition, the hiring of medical
PATIENTS’ RISK MANAGEMENT IN HEALTHCARE 10

assistants would also reduce the patient wait time, especially in the Emergency Rooms. Despite

the roles of the medical assistants being limited, they can assist with basic staffs such as cleaning

and dressing an open wound which could take a lot of time based on the triage protocols. This

would reduce congestion in the Emergency Room and also give healthcare providers more time

to focus on the patients who need them the most without undermining the healthcare needs of

minor patients.

Ways to Manage Patient’s Risks Associated with Financial Limitations

On the other hand, the following are the strategies that can be used to manage patients

risks associated with financial limitation. First, the government should allocate more funds to the

healthcare environment in the yearly budget (Penner, 2013). This will be quite significant in

addressing the inadequacy of resources in the healthcare center. Most patients are exposed to the

risk of delayed medical intervention as a result of limited resources in the hospitals. Allocating

enough funds to the field of healthcare will not only improve the quality of services offered to

patients but also facilitate access to medical intervention at the earliest time possible. In this

regard, the patients’ wellbeing will be promoted and the risks associated with financial limitation

will be adequately addressed.

Second, the government should advocate for a universal insurance coverage that would

help with the medical bills in families who are poor and cannot afford private insurance covers.

This is ascribed to the point that most some health risks associated with financial limitations

result from patients not being able to cover for their medical services. As a result, they are denied

health services and in some instances, lead to dilution of the health care services offered. Having

an insurance coverage will help address these risks as it will some or full cost medical services.
PATIENTS’ RISK MANAGEMENT IN HEALTHCARE 11

This will, in turn, improve patients’ outcomes and wellbeing by health services more affordable

to all individuals regardless of their economic status.

Third, healthcare centers should embrace automation as it is a significant way of

enhancing efficiency and reducing costs (Penner, 2013). This is attributed to the point that most

healthcare centers waste funds and resources allocated by the government in the hiring of

unnecessary staffs whose duties could efficiently be executed by a machine. For instance, a

hospital could hire a person to manage hospital records and files; however, the cost of

maintaining the individual could be significantly high compared to a machine. Thus, hospitals

should seek to automate their services more which would reduce hospital funds that are most

directed to salaries. The funds could then be redirected to other critical issues in health care such

as the acquisition of resources that will improve patient outcome and delivery of health services.

Fourth, hospitals should develop new policies and modify regulations related to the

delivery of healthcare. This is ascribed to the point that some health care policies allow health

professionals to deter health services or deny medical intervention based on a patients financial

capability. According to Penner (2013), this serves as a great health risk among people from low

economic backgrounds as denial of service often lead to deterioration of a medical condition and

even death. The government should modify these policies to allow the delivery of health services

a first priority and then scheduling payment plans for those who cannot afford to pay for the

services before medical intervention. This facilitates access to health care services and also

address health disparities that fostered by financial limitations.

Lastly, healthcare centers should invest in efficient leaders who can appropriately manage

funds and facilitate health care advancement. Efficient leaders will have the necessary skills set
PATIENTS’ RISK MANAGEMENT IN HEALTHCARE 12

to consult with other health care providers and develop a plan for efficient use and implement

health care resources. To be more precise, highly skilled leaders will be able to recognize the

areas within the health care environment that deters efficient delivery of service and initiate a

suitable modification to increase efficiency and enhance positive patient outcome. For instance, a

leader may decide to integrate an Electronic Health Records System to facilitate care delivery

and diagnosis to patients.

Conclusion

To conclude, the shortage of clinical staffs and financial limitations has been outlined as

significant contributors to patients’ risks in the health care environment. The patient’s risks and

safety delimitations linked to a shortage of clinical staff has been outlined as, facilitation of long

waiting lists in the delivery of healthcare; burnout among the healthcare providers; time

constraints between health care providers and the patients; and a generally low quality of health

care services. On the other hand, the risks associated with financial limitations have outlined as;

deflection of healthcare services, lack of adequate healthcare resources, impaired healthcare

decisions and utilization of resources, and dilution of the health services offered to the patient.

The strategies recommended to manage health risk related to a shortage of clinical staff and

financial limitation have been outlined as; (1) investment in nursing education so as to influence

and encourage more individuals to undertake health care courses. (2) Focus on staff retention for

those who are already in the field of health care. (3) Integration of the latest types of technology

within the healthcare environment. (4) Hiring and recruiting of nonphysical clinicians also

known as medical assistants. (5) Government allocation of more funds to the healthcare

environment. (6) Advocating for a universal insurance coverage that would help with the medical

bills in families. And (7) development of new hospital policies and regulations.
PATIENTS’ RISK MANAGEMENT IN HEALTHCARE 13

References

Adams, D. (2014). NIH Report Warns of Looming Physician-Scientist Shortage. Science.

doi:10.1126/science.caredit.a1400145

Flynn, W. J. (2016). Healthcare human resource management. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.

Penner, S. J. (2013). Economics and financial management for nurses and nurse leaders. New

York, NY: Springer Publishing Company,

Penson, D. F. (2016). Financial Hardship Associated with Cancer in the United States: Findings

from a Population-Based Sample of Adult Cancer Survivors. The Journal of

Urology, 196(4), 1234. doi:10.1016/j.juro.2016.06.056

Vincent, C., & Amalberti, R. (2016). Safer Healthcare: Strategies for the Real World. Cham,

Switzerland: Springer International Publishing.