Significance

• Safety training in health care settings prevents medical errors. In 2005, preventable medical errors accounted for an estimated 98,000 deaths and a cost of $37.6 billion, according to the Hospital Safety Alliance. The goal of safety training is to enact the most effective safety practices throughout the health care industry.
  
  

Types

• Many large hospitals employ safety compliance officers to coordinate training and ensure that all personnel are complying with safety policies and procedures. Other practices or health care facilities hire external companies to give periodic safety training to employees.
  
  

Considerations

• Obtaining Joint Commission accreditation and following Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards are two ways in which hospitals and health care facilities can increase the level of safety throughout their facilities. Both the Joint Commission and OSHA require facilities to meet certain standards regarding safety and practices.