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Would the first impression a patient has of your practice send a safety message? You see, first impressions do count! The way your office appears will hopefully send the message of a well-organized, efficient, safety- centered practice.
As a challenge, the next time you enter your office, walk in the front door and visualize the space as a patient, potential new employee, or even an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) inspector. Now, ask yourself the following questions:
Perhaps you can see where this is going, but there are some compliance basics that go along with the appearance and overall well-being of your physical location. When defining compliance, we look at it from 2 different perspectives—(1) employee safety, and (2) patient safety.
Employee safety standards are often referred to as OSHA standards. The following are some examples of safeguards that must be in place to ensure that employees are provided a safe work environment:
Patient safety is provided in part by following established standards for infection control. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued multiple guidelines to address specific areas, such as handwashing, disinfection, and sterilization. By following the established guidelines, the overall risk for acquiring infection through the delivery of patient care can be reduced. Each practice should have an infection control plan that is thoroughly implemented.
The key items to review in your practice include:
So, how did you do? If there are opportunities for improvement, start now to ensure that your practice reflects a strong culture of patient and employee safety.
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