title: Medical errors: overcoming the challenges.
abstract: The issue of medical errors has received substantial attention in recent years. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) report released in 1999 has several implications for health care systems in all disciplines of medicine. Notwithstanding the plethora of available information on the subject, little, by way of substantive action, is done toward medical error reduction. A principal reason for this may be the stigma associated with medical errors. An educational program with a practical, informed, and longitudinal approach offers realistic solutions toward this end. Effective reporting systems need to be developed as a medium of learning from the errors and modifying behaviors appropriately. The presence of a strong leadership supported by organizational commitment is essential in driving these changes. A national, provincial or territorial quality care council dedicated solely for the purpose of enhancing patient safety and medical error reduction may be formed to oversee these efforts. The bioethical and emotional components associated with medical errors also deserve attention and focus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan and Royal University Hospital, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. kalra@sask.usask.ca
authors.forename: Jawahar
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kalra
mesh_terms: D006266:Health Education; D006268:Health Facilities; D006801:Humans; D019300:Medical Errors / Q000145:classification / Q000941:ethics / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009937:Organizational Objectives; D010361:Patients; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D012308:Risk Management; D017751:Safety Management / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000458:organization & administration; D017749:Total Quality Management; D014481:United States