What is one of the main outcomes the National Patient Safety Goals aim to achieve?

The National Patient Safety Goals (NPSGs) are designed primarily to enhance patient safety within healthcare settings, especially during hospitalization. These goals are established and updated by the Joint Commission and focus on specific areas that have been identified as critical to reducing the risk of harm to patients. Enhancing patient safety involves addressing various issues such as effective communication among caregivers, the identification and prevention of healthcare-associated infections, and minimizing medication errors.

By focusing specifically on improving processes and systems that directly impact patient safety, the NPSGs aim to create a safer environment for patients during their healthcare experiences. This approach ultimately leads to better health outcomes and fosters trust in the healthcare system.

While factors such as healthcare technology usage, length of hospital stays, and patient satisfaction are important aspects of healthcare quality, they are secondary to the primary objective of safeguarding patients. Therefore, enhancing patient safety during hospitalization stands out as the main outcome that the National Patient Safety Goals aim to achieve.