Date of Conferral
2021
Degree
Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.)
School
Psychology
Advisor
Eugene Meyer
Abstract
The role of risk management in healthcare settings addressing physical issues has been a focus for scholars since the 1950s. Researchers have demonstrated that effective risk mitigation in physical healthcare settings can decrease medical errors, poor patient care, and litigation. Although there has been a significant focus on the implications of risk management in these settings, there is less research related to this relationship within the context of behavioral healthcare. The purpose of this study was to explore risk-management processes in the setting of a midsized for-profit behavioral health organization on the East Coast of the United States. The Baldrige Excellence Framework was used to guide this qualitative case study. Data collection included semistructured interviews with three organization staff, a review of relevant academic and professional literature, and a review of select documents from the organization. Four themes representing potential opportunities related to improving the organization’s risk-management strategies were identified through content analysis of the data: the importance of shared risk-management responsibility, policy, communication, and ongoing risk monitoring. Recommendations to address these opportunities included the development of a quality-improvement program, implementing risk-management training, and enacting a quality council. This research may contribute to positive social change by serving as an example of how to strengthen a behavioral health organization’s approach to managing risk, thereby enhancing organizational ability to sustain delivery of behavioral health services to communities in need.
Recommended Citation
Darden-Robinson, Mary, "The Pertinence of Risk Management in Behavioral Healthcare Organizations" (2021). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 10220.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/10220
