Quality and safety in home and ambulatory settings

Much of the work in quality and patient safety has been based in hospitals and other acute care settings, yet it has become increasingly apparent that there are errors in delivery of care in other settings, all of which require attention. This article reviews sources of errors in 3 nonacute settings: the home, children's day care, and ambulatory surgery centers. Also described are standards that have been developed to guide practice, as well as specific regulatory agencies that are involved and some of the safeguards that have been instituted in each of the settings to protect against errors.