Understanding Patient Safety

by Wachter, Robert

• ISBN13: 9780071482776
• ISBN10: 0071482776
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2007-10-05
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Professional

Summary

Everything you need to deliver safe patient care or to improve patient safety in your organization Understanding Patient Safety is the essential book for anyone seeking to learn the key clinical, organizational, and systems issues in patient safety. Written in a lively and accessible style by one of the world's leaders in the fields of patient safety and quality, Understanding Patient Safety is filled with valuable cases and analyses, as well as up-to-date tables, graphics, references and tools - all designed to introduce the patient safety field to medical, nursing, pharmacy, hospital administration and other trainees, and to be the go-to book for experienced clinicians and non-clinicians alike. Features: Concise coverage of the core principles of patient safety All the key insights to help you understand and prevent a broad range of errors: including medication errors, surgical errors, diagnostic errors, errors at the man-machine interface, and nursing-related errors A focus on how reporting systems, teamwork training, simulation, the malpractice system, and information technology can impact patient safety and quality A practical overview on how to implement an effective safety program in both hospital and ambulatory settings Realistic case studies that illustrate key points and clarify pivotal concepts A detailed glossary, key references, and useful tools, websites, tables, and graphics

Author Biography

Robert Wachter, MD
Is Associate Chair of Medicine
UCSF School of Medicine

Dr Wachter, Professor and Associate Chairman of the UCSF Department of Medicine, is one of the world’s leaders in improving the quality and safety of health care. He wrote a bestselling book on medical errors ("Internal Bleeding"), edits the U.S. Government's two leading patient safety websites, and has received the nation's top award for his work in safety and quality. He also coined the term "hospitalist" and is the unquestioned leader of that field, the fastest growing specialty in the history of American medicine.

Table of Contents

An Introduction to Patient Safety and Medical Errors
The Nature and Frequency of Medical Errors and Adverse Events	p. 3
Basic Principles of Patient Safety	p. 17
Safety Versus Quality	p. 27
Types of Medical Errors
Medication Errors	p. 41
Surgical Errors	p. 53
Diagnostic Errors	p. 67
Human Factors and Errors at the Person-Machine Interface	p. 75
Transition and Handoff Errors	p. 85
Teamwork and Communication Errors	p. 99
Nosocomial Infections	p. 109
Other Complications of Healthcare	p. 119
Patient Safety in the Ambulatory Setting	p. 127
Solutions
Information Technology	p. 135
Reporting Systems, Incident Investigations, and Other Methods of Understanding Safety Issues	p. 153
Creating a Culture of Safety	p. 169
Workforce Issues	p. 179
Training Issues	p. 189
The Malpractice System	p. 199
Accountability	p. 209
Laws and Regulations	p. 217
The Role of Patients	p. 225
Organizing a Safety Program	p. 237
Key Books, Reports, Series, and Web Sites on Patient Safety	p. 257
Glossary of Selected Terms in Patient Safety	p. 262
Selected Milestones in the Field of Patient Safety	p. 280
The Joint Commission's National Patient Safety Goals (Hospital Version, 2007)	p. 282
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's (AHRQ) Patient Safety Indicators (PSIs)	p. 283
The National Quality Forum's List of 28 "Never Events"	p. 284
Things Patients and Families Can Do, and Questions They Can Ask, to Improve Their Chances of Remaining Safe in the Hospital	p. 287
Table of Contents provided by Blackwell. All Rights Reserved.