title: Complications, adverse events, and iatrogenesis: classifications and quality of care measurement issues.
abstract: Accountability in the healthcare system demands the development of valid and reliable measures of quality, particularly outcome measures that have been risk-adjusted for factors that increase the probability of a poor outcome. Although the literature documents the existence of complications, adverse events, and iatrogenic illness, these concepts have not been compared and discussed thoroughly. This article ponders complications as a measure of quality of care by proposing a three-level classification scheme and by examining the incidence, consequence, and determinants of these events.
authors.affiliation: College of Allied Health Professions, University of Kentucky, Lexington 40536, USA.
authors.forename: S T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Fleming
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology; D006302:Health Services Research / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007049:Iatrogenic Disease / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015994:Incidence; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology