[To promote hospital activities for the patient safety]

Recently, increasing news reports of adverse events in health care suggest the need for reconsideration of the role and responsibility of health care in society. In this paper, after reviewing the history and the characteristics of the health care delivery system in Japan, central issues of patient safety management are sorted out. A good example of a team approach that has prevented progress of a serious disease is also presented. It is suggested that the total quality improvement activities are useful for the patient safety management.