The Slim Book of Health Pearls: The Prevention of Medical Errors , livre ebook

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18 pages

English

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A medical error occurs when a healthcare provider chooses an improper method of care, or inappropriately executes a correct method of care. Medical errors result in death and disability.

More often than not, the medical error results from a system failure, a lack of coordination amongst those responsible for delivering patient care.

The Institute of Medicine estimates between 44,000 to 98,000 deaths per year result from medical errors.

Sujets

Health Care Issues

Health

Fitness

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Publié par	eBookIt.com
Date de parution	21 février 2013
Nombre de lectures	0
EAN13	9781456607487
Langue	English

Informations légales : prix de location à la page 0,0150€. Cette information est donnée uniquement à titre indicatif conformément à la législation en vigueur.

Extrait

THE SLIM BOOK OF HEALTH PEARLS:

THE PREVENTION OF MEDICAL ERRORS

SHELDON COHEN M.D. FACP

Copyright 2012 Sheldon Cohen,
All rights reserved.

Published in eBook format by eBookIt.com
http://www.eBookIt.com

ISBN-13: 978-1-4566-0748-7

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review.

The information, ideas, and suggestions in this book are not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice. Before following any suggestions contained in this book, you must consult your personal physician. The publisher or the author shall not be liable or responsible for any loss or damage allegedly arising as a consequence of your use or application of any information or suggestions in this book.

Introduction
“Es Irrt Der Mensch, So Lang Er Strebt”
(As long as human beings strive, they will make errors)
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
(1749-1832)
A medical error has occurred anytime a healthcare provider plans a medical action and it does not succeed as intended, or the wrong plan is used. These errors can include problems in medical practice, failure to diagnose, procedural problems, system failures, or product deficiencies.
Ninety-eight thousand people per year die from medical errors, a number that represents more deaths than occur from automobile accidents or breast cancer. This statistic, published by the Institute of Medicine in 1999, has prompted efforts by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations to focus the accreditation process on operational systems critical to the safety and quality of patient care.
What is the Institute of Medicine? Who are its members? Are they a governmental organization? What is the funding source?
The federal government created the National Academy of Sciences to serve as an advisor on scientific matters. However, the Academy and its associated organization (e.g. the Institute of Medicine) is a private, non-governmental organization that does not receive direct federal appropriations for their work. The Institute of Medicine’s charter establishes it as an independent body. They use unpaid volunteer experts who author their reports, each of which undergoes a rigorous and formal peer review process that must be evidence-based where possible, or noted as an expert opinion where not possible. Many meetings of the Institute of Medicine are open to the public, or the committee may deliberate amongst themselves until they reach consensus. Any potential conflict of interest could disqualify a committee member.
One cannot dispute this committee’s findings—the best minds are at work. In addition, the Joint Commission considered it serious as well, for they have launched a nationwide effort to minimize medical errors in healthcare organizations.
Let us define what medical errors are. The Joint Commission has categorized a long list of hospital errors that have resulted in death or injury, the so-called sentinel events. This is necessary so that the Joint Commission can investigate and make sure that hospitals have put systems in place to prevent the error from reoccurring. These sentinel events are:
• Anesthesia related: death or injury may result from anesthesia.
• Delay in treatment: failure to diagnose in time, treatment delays resulting in disability or death and wrong diagnoses are all medical errors. An incomplete medical examination is often the reason.
• Elopement: serious injury or death could result when patients leaves facilities of their own accord before diagnosis.
• Infection-related: lapses in sterile technique may result in an infection.
• Maternal deaths: obstetrical deliveries may result in injury or death.
• Medical equipment: medical equipment failures may result in disability or death.
• Medication error: physician, pharmacist, or patient error may result in injury or death due to improper or wrong medication use.
• Operative/post-operative: complications may result from surgical or post surgical care.
• Patient abduction: infant abduction from newborn nurseries have occurred.