Review Article: Clinical risk management: time for a paradigm shift in medicare in Nigeria?

Abstract

Introduction: Medical practice In Nigeria is faced with a myriad of challenges to patients, medical practitioners and the institutions that they render services in. These include but are not limited medical errors and malpractice that can lead to litigation, exposure to highly infectious diseases when medical practitioners interface with patients and the attendant liabilities that government and private health institutions may have to pay out.

Objectives: To describe the role of clinical risk management in health care management and evaluate risk management practice policies in medical care in Nigeria

Methodology: A systematic review of literature on risk management, policy that concern medical risks/management documents and articles was conducted. Keywords used in the search were clinical guidelines, and risk management in Nigeria. Reviewed documents contained information on risk management internationally and where available, in Nigeria. Searches were conducted on the Cochrane Library, PubMed and African Journals On line. Publications were also sourced from cited references and reports. The search engine used was Google.

Results: NationalPolicies that provide direction in clinical risk management in Nigeria are lacking even against the background of medical errors that lead to mortalities and morbidities.

Conclusion: There is a need for leadership to be provided by healthcare

Keywords: Clinical risk management, Medical risk management, Health care