title: Analyzing errors in practice. A vehicle for assessing and enhancing the quality of care.
abstract: Failures are inevitable in health care. When failure occurs as a result of practitioner error, quality in patient care may be compromised. This article proposes that analyzing clinical errors may contribute to quality assurance. Examples from physical therapy illustrate how information gained from analyzing errors can enhance patient care.
authors.affiliation: Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO.
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Deusinger
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence; D006272:Health Facility Environment; D006801:Humans; D008923:Missouri; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities / Q000592:standards*; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D012308:Risk Management / Q000379:methods; D012941:Social Responsibility; D013673:Technology Assessment, Biomedical / Q000379:methods*