ABSTRACT
In recent years, increased emphasis has been placed on the study of healthcare systems to better understand the relationship of how management and administrative systems best support clinical practice and promote quality improvement and patient safety. Today's healthcare systems face two big challenges: increasing demand because of greater volumes of patients who are older, who often have comorbidities and who often require multidisciplinary care; and an increasing volume of treatment options, often of greater complexity and cost. Patient and societal demands for transparency in defining and justifying treatment decisions impact on all healthcare workers, who need to understand their professional responsibilities when working within complex social and work environments. Patient safety can only be considered in a broader understanding of risk management.
