Universal Patient Safety Program 2024-2027
AACI has established a Universal Patient Safety Program designed to support all healthcare and dental organizations in proactively addressing safety risks and improving outcomes. This program sets forth a series of evidence-based, annually updated key performance indicators (KPIs) that serve as the foundation for continuous monitoring, improvement, and accountability.
Each year, AACI identifies and updates these indicators based on:
- Current global and local patient safety trends
- Emerging clinical evidence and regulatory guidance
- Input from AACI stakeholders, including clinicians, administrators, and partner organizations
Patient Safety Priorities for Healthcare Organizations
AACI calls on all accredited healthcare organizations to implement and actively monitor the following safety measures:
- Burnout Prevention
Promote awareness and implement strategies to mitigate burnout in healthcare staff and leadership teams. - Hand Hygiene Compliance
Cultivate a strong culture of hand hygiene as a non-negotiable standard of care. - Vaccine Safety Monitoring
Track and analyze adverse reactions related to staff vaccine administration. - Reprocessing of Reusable Medical Devices (RMDs)
Conduct routine surveillance of decontamination, sterilization, storage, and delivery of endoscopic and other RMDs. - Surgical Site Identification
Implement pre-procedure verification methods to ensure accurate and visible surgical site marking. - WHO Surgical Safety Checklist
Improve surgical outcomes through full adoption of the WHO preoperative checklist. - Medical Records Management
Ensure timely, accurate completion and accessibility of all medical records to support continuity of care.
AACI strongly encourages all healthcare organizations to fully adopt these practices as part of their core patient safety strategy.
Patient Safety Priorities for Dental Organizations
For dental practices and facilities, AACI emphasizes the following key safety interventions:
- Hand Hygiene & PPE Protocols
Maintain rigorous oversight of hand hygiene and the appropriate use of personal protective equipment (PPE), including gloves, gowns, and masks. - Sterilization & Reprocessing of Dental Devices
Conduct routine surveillance of the sterilization, decontamination, storage, and handling of reusable dental instruments. - Patient Involvement Through Time-Out Protocols
Implement a formal time-out process before any procedure, including a review of the patient’s medical history and a verbal confirmation of the planned intervention. Patient participation is required to enhance safety and communication.
This Universal Patient Safety Program reflects AACI’s ongoing commitment to fostering a culture of safety, accountability, and excellence in all care settings. AACI-accredited organizations are expected to integrate these initiatives into their daily operations and demonstrate ongoing performance through measurable outcomes.