The goal of this program is to explore approaches to prevent medical errors that are both system-based and human performance-based and describe The Joint Commission National Patient Safety Goals as they pertain to medical errors in hospitals. After you study the information presented here, you will be able to —
- Examine sources and types of medical errors.
- Identify error-prone situations.
- Relate theories and strategies to reduce the occurrence of errors and improve patient outcomes.
- Define sentinel event, root cause analysis, and failure mode, effects, and criticality analysis.
- Discuss safety needs of special populations.
- Describe the impact of medical errors on healthcare providers.
- Discuss the importance of public education in reducing errors.
Educational Gap: Health professionals are not able to identify and deal with medical errors.
This course was reviewed and approved by Laura Grooms, MD, representing the University of Louisville School of Medicine Continuing Health Sciences Education.
