Yet, one of the most challenging unanswered questions is 'What constitutes a medical error?' The answer to this basic question has not been clearly established. Īll providers know medical errors create a serious public health problem that poses a substantial threat to patient safety.
Healthcare organizations need to establish a culture of safety that focuses on system improvement by viewing medical errors as challenges that must be overcome. All individuals on the healthcare team must play a role in making the provision of healthcare safer for patients and healthcare workers. Part of the solution is to maintain a culture that works toward recognizing safety challenges and implementing viable solutions rather than harboring a culture of blame, shame, and punishment. By recognizing untoward events occur, learning from them, and working toward preventing them, patient safety can be improved.
It is challenging to uncover a consistent cause of errors and, even if found, to provide a consistent viable solution that minimizes the chances of a recurrent event. Medical errors are a serious public health problem and a leading cause of death in the United States.
