Medical Errors (Archived)

Excerpt

The term "medical error" encompasses a diverse group of events that vary in magnitude and potential to harm the patient. The historical perspective of medical errors was that they were a "rare occurrence." In the past few decades, this perspective has changed drastically. In a 1997 survey from the National Patient Safety Foundation at the American Medical Association titled "Public Opinion of Patient Safety Issues Research Findings," the general public labeled the healthcare environment as only "moderately safe" with a rating of 4.9 on a scale of 1 to 7 (where 1 was Not Safe at All, and 7 was Very Safe). The survey reported that the general public found the healthcare industry less safe than airline travel or the workplace environment.

One of the most worrisome findings from this survey was that 52% of respondents felt that the healthcare system did not have adequate measures to prevent medical errors. When asked what they perceived as the cause of "medical mistakes," the most frequent responses were "carelessness or negligence" and "overworked, hurried, or stressed" healthcare professionals.

Medical errors and preventable adverse events are not unique to the US. They are, in fact, a global problem. According to one review, an Australian-based study reported that 16.6% of all admissions had preventable adverse outcomes, resulting in death in nearly 5% of the cases with an iatrogenic injury. Similarly, a United Kingdom (UK)-based retrospective study reported an adverse event rate of 11%. Other countries have reported similar rates of adverse events, with a New Zealand-based study reporting a rate of 10.7% and a Danish study reporting a rate of 9%.

While the statistics and public opinion about the healthcare industry are disconcerting, they should not lead to despair. Understanding the magnitude of the issue and the general view of our performance is the first step in resolving the issue. This will allow us to identify common causes of medical errors and implement system-based practices that help prevent these outcomes.

The first step in improving patient safety is an intricate understanding of the various types of medical errors and the healthcare processes that lead to medical errors during healthcare delivery. This activity reviews the common types of medical errors and the current practices that have been shown to decrease the rate of medical mistakes. Implementing these practices in healthcare delivery can help reduce medical errors, improve patient outcomes, and increase patient satisfaction with the healthcare industry.