| Abstract: | A recent report on patient safety by the Institute of Medicine's Committee on Quality of Health Care in America noted that there are at least 44,000 patient deaths from medical errors each year, placing them as the eighth leading cause of death in the United States. They occur in every aspect of the practice of medicine. Some result in adverse events that harm patients. Can an organized effort to reduce medical errors be effective? Other complex industries have been successful in reducing errors and improving quality. The IOM report argues that the medical community must do the same to ensure a higher quality of care. Both the Clinton administration and Congress have expressed concerns about the frequency of medical errors, as has organized medicine. These findings raise significant policy questions for physician executives' charges with ensuring patient safety. |
