Errors in medicine

The medical profession has been reminded of the problem of errors occurring in the practice of medicine by some recent local and overseas studies. These studies provide data on the incidence and demographics of these errors, and they provide a starting point for improving the situation. A body of research is developing on the subject of human error, and it is suggested that the medical profession take advantage of the knowledge derived from this research. In particular, attention should be directed towards developing an atmosphere of reporting errors without fear of blame, developing back-up systems, standardizing processes, monitoring processes extensively, and recertifying operators. Some of these suggestions are already being adopted in this country.