Office Patient Safety

Abstract

Patient safety is inseparable from quality and is a top priority for the United States health care system. This article explores factors that contribute to errors and patient harm in office practice, discusses key ways in which errors in the outpatient setting compare with those occurring in the inpatient setting, and describes strategies for supporting and improving patient safety in office practice.

Keywords: Ambulatory care; Checklists; Diagnostic errors; Disclosure and apology; Human factors; Patient safety; Safety culture; Simulation and drills.