With the advent of electronic health records (EHR) came life-saving innovations in alerts, notifications and other forms of medical record flagging. One of the many innovative uses of EHR flagging capabilities is the ability to quickly identify patients with a history of violent behavior in clinical care settings. While this can improve both patient and staff safety, flags can become stigmatizing and used in punitive ways that may increase risk.

In healthcare, most violence is enacted by patients toward employees. Research shows that not only are punitive measures toward violent or disruptive patients counterproductive, they are also contraindicated due to the frequency with which they drive up risk factors and impede patient access to protective factors. Therefore, it is vital that healthcare executives charter interdisciplinary teams trained to objectively assess behavioral risk factors and protective factors and align management and safety plans with treatment plans that support patient care and services. Objective structured clinical assessments help threat management teams discern what risks the patient poses and what factors will either increase or reduce those risks. Without a trained, objective approach to threat assessment and management, interventions like record flagging may become reflexive responses to punish, label, or stigmatize patients that pose a risk of escalating tensions or creating barriers to patient care. By creating effective interdisciplinary teams, healthcare executives ensure this high-risk patient population continues to receive the care and services they need to reduce their risk of future violence.

Learning Objectives:

• Review how interdisciplinary behavioral threat assessment and management teams create safer healthcare.
• Identify key leadership processes that support medical record flagging to improve patient care.
• Discuss stigmatization of patients engaged in disruptive behavior and strategies to reduce stigmatization.

Faculty:

Kelly Vance, MD, FACHE, Director, VHA Workplace Violence Prevention Program

Scott Hutton, Ph.D., RN, FACHE, Director of Operations, VHA Workplace Violence Prevention Program

Continuing Education Credit

ACHE Qualifying Education Credit

This webinar is eligible for 1 ACHE Qualifying Education credit. ACHE Qualifying Education credits will be automatically updated in your My ACHE account upon completion of the recording.

Interprofessional Continuing Education Credit

In support of improving patient care, the American College of Healthcare Executives is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), and the American Academy of PAs (AAPA) to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

This activity was planned by and for the healthcare team, and learners will receive a maximum of 1 Interprofessional Continuing Education (IPCE) credit for learning and change. For further information about Joint Accreditation credits and certificates, please click here.

Physician Continuing Medical Education

The American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) designates this live activity for a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits^™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Continuing Nursing Education

The American College of Healthcare Executives designates this live activity for a maximum of 1 contact hours of continuing nursing education.

Continuing Pharmacy Education

The American College of Healthcare Executives designates this knowledge-based activity for a maximum 1 contact hours of continuing pharmacy education credit. 

Continuing Social Work Education

The American College of Healthcare Executives designates this knowledge-based activity for a maximum 1 contact hours of continuing social work education credit.

Continuing Education for Dietitians

The American College of Healthcare Executives designates this knowledge-based activity for a maximum 1 contact hours of continuing education credit for Registered Dietitians and Dietetic Technicians, Registered. RDs and DTRs should enter activities offered by jointly accredited providers as type 102 on Professional Development Portfolio (PDP) activity logs. CPEUs awarded must be commensurate with participation in the activity.

Physician Associate/Physician Assistant Continuing Education

The American College of Healthcare Executives has been authorized by the American Academy of PAs (AAPA) to award AAPA Category 1 CME credit for activities planned in accordance with AAPA CME Criteria. This activity is designated for a maximum of 1 AAPA Category 1 CME credits. PAs should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation.