Board Policy CA-240: Quality, Patient Safety and Risk Management

Effective date: 2022-06-21

Policy

General provisions

The Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Vitalité Health Network (the “Network”) is responsible for the quality and the patient safety delivered by the RHA. It is committed to monitoring and being accountable for the quality of the care and services delivered by the organization. 

This commitment involves ensuring that information related to the management of quality, patient safety, and risk allows decision-making that supports innovation, learning and the improvement of outcomes through a continuous improvement process and makes it possible to protect the public as well as the Network’s assets and maintain public confidence in the Network.

Board’s responsibilities

  1. Ensure that mechanisms are in place to monitor performance and effectively administer all aspects of the management of quality, patient safety, and risk.
  2. Promotes and supports a culture of continuous improvement and patient safety and ensures the implementation of an integrated quality and patient safety management plan that incorporates a learning approach.
  3. Support the development of a patient and family culture centered care.
  4. Promote results-based learning as well as research- and evidence-based decision-making.
  5. Review policies governing the management of quality, patient safety, and risk.
  6. Receive monitoring reports submitted periodically by the senior management team and act upon the recommendations contained therein. These reports include but are not limited to reports on prejudicial events, near misses, infection rates, client satisfaction, etc.
  7. Implement an integrated risk management method. Monitor the risks that the organization faces, approve the Network’s general risk tolerance level, and ensure that the organization’s statutory responsibilities and reporting requirements are met.

Implementation and follow-up

The Board assigns the President and CEO the responsibility for developing and implementing all strategies, policies, and procedures designed to ensure that principles and practices in the management of quality, patient safety, and risk are integrated into all aspects of the Network’s philosophy, culture, and operational planning.