What is the purpose of risk scoring in risk assessment?

• A. To assess patient satisfaction levels.
• B. To identify hazards and quantify risk to prioritize controls.
• C. To assign blame after incidents.
• D. To determine facility color codes.

Answer: (B)

Risk scoring in risk assessment is about turning potential hazards into a clear rating by weighing how likely each hazard is to occur and how severe its consequences would be. This creates a quantified view of risk that lets you rank hazards and decide where to focus controls and resources. The goal is proactive management—identify hazards, quantify the risk they pose, and prioritize actions to reduce or eliminate those risks.

That’s why this is the best fit: it captures both identifying hazards and measuring their risk level to guide where to put controls. It isn’t about patient satisfaction, which measures perception rather than safety risk. It isn’t about assigning blame after incidents, which is a reactive, punitive approach rather than a preventive one. And it isn’t about facility color codes, which are a labeling or visualization tool, not the central purpose of risk scoring.