This book identifies changes in the industry and describes how these changes have influenced the functions of risk management in all aspects of healthcare. The book is divided into four sections. The first section describes the current state of the healthcare industry and looks at the importance of risk management and the emergence of patient safety. It also explores the importance of working with other sectors of the health care industry such as the pharmaceutical and device manufacturers. The last three sections focus on the three main components of the risk managers responsibility: claims management, risk financing and proactive loss control. The final section touches on solutions for seamless integration between risk management and patient safety functions. Using an integrative approach this book offers a comprehensive review of the current issues which formulate the basis of a risk management program and provide the knowledge that a risk manager would be expected to have.