Medical errors: five years after the IOM report

Five years after publication of the Institute for Medicine's landmark 1999 report,To Err Is Human, notable advances have been made. They include the development of performance standards, an increase in error reporting, integration of information technology, and improved safety systems. But the IOM notes that efforts are still needed to improve safety and reduce errors, including development of data standards for patient safety information, establishment of a national health information infrastructure, and comprehensive patient safety programs in health care organizations.