Introduction
A cornerstone of the Quality and Safety is the control of documents. While not a particularly glamorous activity, document control is an essential preventive measure ensuring that only approved, current documentation is used throughout King Fahd Hospital of the University (KFHU). Inadvertent use of out-of-date documents can have significant negative consequences on quality, costs and patient satisfaction.
Documents are often created in a casual manner and then stored on someone’s hard drive. They are passed around in printed form, or attached to e-mails, and end up being thrown away or deleted when they are no longer seem relevant to the issues of the day.
Purpose
The purpose of the Documents Control Unit is to ensure that standardization, cost effectiveness and appropriate utilization of hospital documents are done prior to implementation into King Fahd Hospital of the University’ (KFHU) system.
The Unit provides a framework for deciding how information is create in KFHU and how it is managed once created.
Objectives
The Documents Control Unit will ensure that:
- Documents fulfill a useful purpose.
- Resources are not wasted on the distribution of unimportant or useless information.
- Only valid information is published.
- Information is kept up to date.
- Information is provided in a form that can be used by the employees.
- Classified, confidential, or proprietary information is restricted to the people who have a real need to access it.
- Information is retained that could help solve a problem, improve opportunities, avoid costly errors, or deflect potential lawsuit.
Aim
The Documents Control Unit aim to ensure proper creation, maintenance, use and disposal of documents of King Fahd Hospital of the University throughout their life cycle efficiently.
Scope of Service
The Documents Control Unit (DCU) is responsible in the final preparation, release and distribution of policies & procedures, job descriptions, forms and other controlled documents. The Documents Control Unit controls the issuance of documents, including changes, and assures that documents, including changes, are reviewed for adequacy and approved for release.
The Document Control Unit keeps track of all documentation, specifications and processes. The Unit ensure that all hospital professionals use the correct and most current processes and specifications.
Responsibility
The primary responsibilities of the Document Control Unit are to translate and format policies and procedures, job descriptions, forms into a system of regulatory written instructions. It includes the responsibility of designing, releasing, retention, distribution, accountability, revision updating, change implementation and removal of all documents and data, as required and ordered by the Supervisor General of the Directorate of Quality and Safety in consultation with the Hospital Director.
Document Control Unit functions to ensure documentation integrity by establishing and maintaining procedures for initiating, revising, approving, distributing, recalling and archiving hospital documents.
