The Joint Commission has recently visited Little Falls Hospital for its accreditation visit. Overall, the survey went well except for the standards related to the 2010 National Patient Safety Goals. The Joint Commission surveyors indicated that the hospital has not devoted enough resources and staff into achieving these goals.

As the new risk manager, you are aware of the following issues.

• There is no specific plan on how Little Falls Hospital will address and achieve these goals. This has been handled on a department-by-department basis.
• Recently, there has been a significant plaintiff settlement paid by the hospital's insurance carrier, which involved a patient death related to the incorrect medication being administered.
• The costs of the hospital's professional liability insurance continue to escalate, and the policy is due to expire in 6 months. Little Falls Hospital has had the same health professional liability insurance policy for 10 years.
• The hospital is facing financial constraints and does not have a significant amount of cash on hand to invest in new technologies

You have been asked by the hospital's board of director's to prepare a risk management plan that will help to develop a culture of safety throughout Little Falls Hospital. The plan should address the National Patient Safety Goals and strategies to be implemented throughout the organization. Explain the important components of the plan, the resources that are required to implement, and strategies to overcome some of the hospital's deficiencies. Your primary text and journal and website research must be used as a reference to support your analysis.