Clinical Governance and Risk Management for Medical Administrators

Abstract

Clinical Governance at a health service level requires structures, processes and frameworks that articulate the key roles, responsibilities and accountabilities at all staff levels from Board, management and clinicians. These structures are enabled by robust data, culture, education and training and a continuous learning environment. Clinical governance encompasses the domains of clinical effectiveness, risk management, patient safety and consumer engagement, and should address the priority areas and accreditation requirements of any national regulatory bodies.

Successful clinical governance requires strong authentic medical engagement, at a leadership, senior and junior medical staff level, that allows the advice, guidance and leadership from medical staff across a suite of patient safety areas, while utilising their time in an efficient and effective manner.

The Medical Administrator is also an essential element within the clinical governance system, by providing the patient safety advocate on the Executive, performing a translator role between management and medical staff, and facilitating trust with medical colleagues for an open and transparent patient safety culture, while still ensuring compliance and verifying the system’s integrity.

This chapter outlines the literature and practical examples of implementing Clinical Governance within a health service, provides strategies to effectively engage medical staff, and addresses the essential role of the Medical administrator within the clinical governance system.