Communication as a risk management tool for psychiatry

Objectives: Risk management and patient safety serve as integral and important systemic and organizational tools. In recent decades it has been introduced and developed widely in the medical field. This chapter examines possible implications of risk management and patient safety procedures in the field of psychiatry, bearing in mind the unique properties of this field and the unique risks posed therein, as related to individuals as well as from a global systemic viewpoint, financial security, and reputations of mental health institutions. Methods: This chapter presents and analyzes three case scenarios demonstrating “communication lapses,” in the Israeli mental health setting, in order to establish a basis for subsequent discussion regarding the effective management of information, as an integral part of risk management in psychiatry. Various recommendations for improving communication, in the mental health system, are examined, based on these examples. Results: The chapter asserts that increasing the extent of communication, between various elements of the health-care system, and improving its quality may be an important factor in improving the successful handling of psychiatryrelated risks. Conclusions: Optimal information management is a core element in the management of psychiatry-related risks and may also contribute to better clinical practice and patients’ safety.