Patient safety and sustainable development goals:Through the lens of Health Information Management

This chapter provides a comprehensive overview of patient safety and quality in healthcare, including its origins, how it is monitored and measured, and developments within Australia. References are also made to global work in patient safety. Examples of quality and safety initiatives are discussed through the lens of health information management (HIM) and how HIM professionals contribute to patient safety within the health system. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (United Nations, 2024c) (SDG) #3 Good Health and Well-being and #16 Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions (United Nations, 2024c) are used to explore how quality health information improves population-level health outcomes. HIM professionals are integral to maintaining robust health systems. They possess a distinctive blend of skills and knowledge that uniquely positions them at the intersection of health records and patient safety (Kemp et al., 2021a). Their involvement in managing health records and ensuring data quality, as well as their role in reporting and funding, demonstrates the direct application of their formal education for patient safety-related functions. HIM professionals’ ability to interpret data at various levels and understand the healthcare system further underscores their relevance in addressing patient safety (Kemp, et al., 2021a). Three examples are provided to explore patient safety through the lens of HIM, providing deeper discussion and analysis of the relationship. Hospital-acquired complications are explored to show how HIM professionals are involved with identification and data monitoring, reporting, and trending. Electronic health records (EHRs) are then examined for data security and safety features and to demonstrate how HIM professionals contribute to system governance. Lastly, HIM professionals’ roles in clinical governance are examined, including auditing and accreditation processes, education and training, and documentation. The chapter concludes with insights from Australian HIM and patient safety leaders on how HIM professionals contribute to patient safety and the relationship to SDG #3 and SDG #16. These insights are taken from current research underway by the lead author on the themes of data, documentation, education, and records management.