Course Description
Students are introduced to the principles of risk management and the key components of a risk management program in the health care setting. Students will be given the opportunity to utilize tools and strategies to predict, assess and manage risk with a focus on the domains of safety, quality care, privacy and security, documentation and medical errors/incidents.
Course Content
In this course the learner will explore:
- Risk management concepts and terminology
- Regulatory and accreditation requirements for risk management
- The components of risk management
- Systems theory of risk management
- The data sources used to calculate risk measures including the tools and strategies used to assess risk
- The key risk and utilization management activities in the health sector
- Governance issues relating to clinician competence
- E-Health and potential risk issues
- The roles and responsibilities of the health information management professional
Learning Activities
Students will learn risk management concepts through a combination of experiential learning and independent study. Some or all of the following methods will be used:
- lecture/discussion
- case study analysis
- group work
- group discussions and exercises
- independent research
- quizzes
- instructor feedback on students' work
- individual consultation
- presentation (individual or group)
Means of Assessment
The course evaluation is consistent with the Douglas College Evaluation Policy. An evaluation schedule is presented at the beginning of the course. This is a graded course. All assignments must be completed to pass the course.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of the course, successful learners will be able to:
- Define key risk management terminology
- Identify major societal and regulatory drivers for quality and safety initiatives in the health sector
- Identify regulatory and accreditation requirements for risk management activities in health care organizations
- Describe the primary stakeholders in risk management
- Describe components of risk management including risk identification, analysis, evaluation and treatment
- Differentiate among structure, process, and outcome measures of risk
- Identify sources of data for calculating risk measures
- Apply tools frequently used in problem analysis and performance management
- Demonstrate the process of conducting a proactive risk assessment
- Identify key risk management and utilization management activities in health care organizations
- Describe the process for ensuring clinician competence
- Describe the range of benefits and risks associated with e-Health
- Describe the role and responsibility of the health information management professional in managing risk
Textbook Materials
A list of required and optional textbooks, materials and electronic applications is provided for students at the beginning of each semester.