Skip Navigation Archive: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Archive: Agency for Healthcare Research Quality www.ahrq.gov
AHRQ Home—Live Site | Archive Home | Site Map
Archival print banner

This information is for reference purposes only. It was current when produced and may now be outdated. Archive material is no longer maintained, and some links may not work. Persons with disabilities having difficulty accessing this information should contact us at: https://info.ahrq.gov. Let us know the nature of the problem, the Web address of what you want, and your contact information.

Please go to www.ahrq.gov for current information.

Slide 11. The Seven Pillars: A Comprehensive Approach to the Prevention and Response to Patient Events

The "Seven Pillars" Approach: Crossing the Patient Safety—Medical Liability Chasm

Slide 11. The Seven Pillars: A Comprehensive Approach to the Prevention and Response to Patient Events.

 

Image: The Seven Pillars is depicted as a decision flow chart with the following steps:

 

  • Unexpected Event reported to Safety/Risk Management. →
  • Patient Harm?
    • No →
      • Data Base...→
      • "Near Misses"...→
      • Process Improvement.
    • Yes →
      • Consider "Second Patient" Error Investigation. Hold bills →
        • Patient Communication Consult Service 24/7 Immediately Available.
        • [A red star highlights this step] Activation of Crisis Management Team →
        • Process Improvement.
      • Inappropriate Care?
        • No →
          • Patient Communication Consult Service 24/7 Immediately Available.
        • Yes →
          • Full Disclosure with Rapid Apology and Remedy →
          • Patient Communication Consult Service 24/7 Immediately Available.
          • Activation of Crisis Management Team →
          • Process Improvement.

Contents

Page last reviewed October 2014
Page originally created May 2012
Internet Citation: Slide 11. The Seven Pillars: A Comprehensive Approach to the Prevention and Response to Patient Events. Content last reviewed October 2014. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. https://archive.ahrq.gov/news/events/nac/2012-04-nac/mcdonald/mcdonald11.html

 

The information on this page is archived and provided for reference purposes only.

 
AHRQ Advancing Excellence in Health Care