Final answer:
The hospital conducts a proactive risk assessment for high-risk processes every 24 months, in accordance with the Prevention and Treatment Act, to ensure patient safety and quality control.
Step-by-step explanation:
The hospital selects one high-risk process and conducts a proactive risk assessment within a timeframe to ensure patient safety and quality control. Based on the given option from the Prevention and Treatment Act (42 U.S.C. 5204() (2) (B) (4)), which states that 'within 2 years of the date of this order, the Secretary shall outline reasonable best practice standards for risk and safety assessment', the appropriate timeframe for conducting a proactive risk assessment would be every 24 months.
Continual risk assessments are critical for maintaining health and safety standards and in evaluating the effectiveness of treatment methods or preventative measures. For instance, a study could be conducted to see if a new preventative medication affects the proportion of patients who develop a certain disease, comparing the outcomes with a control group. This ongoing evaluation of treatment efficacy and risk management contributes to the overall clinical focus on improving health care outcomes and preventing adverse events.