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Published on: January 15, 2017
[To make good use of medical error]
1Académie nationale de médecine, 16 rue Bonaparte-75272 Paris.
Abstract:
Error, even if not made through negligence, always affects the physician. That probably explains why the literature on medical error is so sparse. Thanks to large surveys carried out mainly in American hospitals, awareness of the major role of this risk factor begins to appear. These studies demonstrate: three important facts: 1/ The frequency of errors with serious consequences is nearly 3% of all hospitalizations. 2/ Because of the growing complexity of modern health care system, medical errors have new characteristics. Even if they apparently originate from individual behaviour, they are in fact frequently rooted in the health care organisation and so are in fact systemic errors. 3/ A lot of these systemic errors could be prevented or corrected by measures at the level of the organisation. The study of mistakes is vital in implementing quality management of health care. Consequently it is the responsibility of the organisation to record and analyse adverse events. Each error can be an opportunity for safety improvement, provided it is acknowledged.
Insights
Medical errors impact nearly 3% of hospitalizations, often stemming from systemic issues within healthcare organizations. Analyzing these adverse events is crucial for improving patient safety and quality management.
Area of Science:
- Healthcare Management
- Patient Safety
- Medical Quality Assurance
Context:
- Medical error literature is sparse, despite significant impact on physicians.
- Recent large-scale surveys in American hospitals highlight the prevalence of medical errors.
- The complexity of modern healthcare systems contributes to new characteristics of medical errors.
Purpose:
- To raise awareness of the significant role of medical errors as a risk factor in healthcare.
- To underscore the systemic nature of many medical errors, often rooted in organizational factors rather than individual behavior.
- To emphasize the importance of studying medical errors for quality management and patient safety.
Summary:
- Approximately 3% of hospitalizations involve errors with serious consequences.
- Medical errors are increasingly recognized as systemic issues within healthcare organizations.
- Organizational-level interventions can prevent or correct many systemic medical errors.
Impact:
- Studying medical errors is vital for implementing effective healthcare quality management.
- Organizations have a responsibility to record and analyze adverse events.
- Acknowledging and analyzing errors provides opportunities for significant safety improvements.
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