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To Err Is Human: Building a Safer Health System
Experts estimate that as many as 98,000 people die in any given year from medical errors that occur in hospitals. That's more than die from motor vehicle accidents, breast cancer, or AIDS--three causes that receive far more public attention. Indeed, more people die annually from medication errors than from workplace injuries. Add the financial cost to the human tragedy, and medical error easily rises to the top ranks of urgent, widespread public problems.
To Err Is Human breaks the silence that has surrounded medical errors and their consequence--but not by pointing fingers at caring health care professionals who make honest mistakes. After all, to err is human. Instead, this book sets forth a national agenda--with state and local implications--for reducing medical errors and improving patient safety through the design of a safer health system.
This volume reveals the often startling statistics of medical error and the disparity between the incidence of error and public perception of it, given many patients' expectations that the medical profession always performs perfectly. A careful examination is made of how the surrounding forces of legislation, regulation, and market activity influence the quality of care provided by health care organizations and then looks at their handling of medical mistakes.
Using a detailed case study, the book reviews the current understanding of why these mistakes happen. A key theme is that legitimate liability concerns discourage reporting of errors--which begs the question, "How can we learn from our mistakes?"
Balancing regulatory versus market-based initiatives and public versus private efforts, the Institute of Medicine presents wide-ranging recommendations for improving patient safety, in the areas of leadership, improved data collection and analysis, and development of effective systems at the level of direct patient care.
To Err Is Human asserts that the problem is not bad people in health care--it is that good people are working in bad systems that need to be made safer. Comprehensive and straightforward, this book offers a clear prescription for raising the level of patient safety in American health care. It also explains how patients themselves can influence the quality of care that they receive once they check into the hospital. This book will be vitally important to federal, state, and local health policy makers and regulators, health professional licensing officials, hospital administrators, medical educators and students, health caregivers, health journalists, patient advocates--as well as patients themselves.
First in a series of publications from the Quality of Health Care in America, a project initiated by the Institute of Medicine.
To Err Is Human breaks the silence that has surrounded medical errors and their consequence--but not by pointing fingers at caring health care professionals who make honest mistakes. After all, to err is human. Instead, this book sets forth a national agenda--with state and local implications--for reducing medical errors and improving patient safety through the design of a safer health system.
This volume reveals the often startling statistics of medical error and the disparity between the incidence of error and public perception of it, given many patients' expectations that the medical profession always performs perfectly. A careful examination is made of how the surrounding forces of legislation, regulation, and market activity influence the quality of care provided by health care organizations and then looks at their handling of medical mistakes.
Using a detailed case study, the book reviews the current understanding of why these mistakes happen. A key theme is that legitimate liability concerns discourage reporting of errors--which begs the question, "How can we learn from our mistakes?"
Balancing regulatory versus market-based initiatives and public versus private efforts, the Institute of Medicine presents wide-ranging recommendations for improving patient safety, in the areas of leadership, improved data collection and analysis, and development of effective systems at the level of direct patient care.
To Err Is Human asserts that the problem is not bad people in health care--it is that good people are working in bad systems that need to be made safer. Comprehensive and straightforward, this book offers a clear prescription for raising the level of patient safety in American health care. It also explains how patients themselves can influence the quality of care that they receive once they check into the hospital. This book will be vitally important to federal, state, and local health policy makers and regulators, health professional licensing officials, hospital administrators, medical educators and students, health caregivers, health journalists, patient advocates--as well as patients themselves.
First in a series of publications from the Quality of Health Care in America, a project initiated by the Institute of Medicine.
312 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 2000
32 people are currently reading
757 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
March 27, 2018
Relido...
Essencial para quem estuda a segurança do doente.
Essencial para quem estuda a segurança do doente.
April 30, 2012
This is the landmark report which laid the groundwork for much of the patient safety efforts over the last 10 years. Having worked in this field for five of those years, felt like it was high time I read it.
May 7, 2025
This was part of a reading for two courses that I took. It took me some time to actually read it.
A lot of points lay the foundation of quality and safety which I think should’ve been part of the pharmacy curriculum (but is not).
Not a full five stars as this book was written years ago and new quality and safety issues have popped up since then. What I wished it also address was bullying in the workplace that causes a healthcare professional to carry out unsafe practices because of a senior staff’s instructions and not knowing who or how to report the bullying.
A lot of points lay the foundation of quality and safety which I think should’ve been part of the pharmacy curriculum (but is not).
Not a full five stars as this book was written years ago and new quality and safety issues have popped up since then. What I wished it also address was bullying in the workplace that causes a healthcare professional to carry out unsafe practices because of a senior staff’s instructions and not knowing who or how to report the bullying.
November 18, 2021
If you work in healthcare quality, this book is in the must read category.
However, 2000 seems a long time ago. I'll need to read the sequels . . .
The best chapter to read is chapter 8, Creating Safety Systems in Health Care Organizations. This includes some well summarized approaches. Healthcare still hasn't embraced this fully.
We can do better!
However, 2000 seems a long time ago. I'll need to read the sequels . . .
The best chapter to read is chapter 8, Creating Safety Systems in Health Care Organizations. This includes some well summarized approaches. Healthcare still hasn't embraced this fully.
We can do better!
June 4, 2018
My new bible. Outstanding breakthrough the damaged medical system. A revolutionary propose to completely change the focos of medical care delivery.
Read
April 18, 2020Me know when the first place to start to start
Read
March 2, 2025what is the danger in locating error/ fault not in the human actor but in the system?
August 19, 2025
its a little dated but puts up some interesting points
December 16, 2023
The american healthcare system needs to read this book. Or add it to the declaration of independence. Read this for med school and it seemed as eye-opening as it was blatantly obvious.
June 17, 2015
This is one of 2 seminal books on quality and it is a must read for folks in the industry. It is not easy reading but is packed with excellent information. Although this book was compiled in 1999, it's helpful to see where we started and how far we've come. I felt this book was necessary to read as it is mentioned in other books on Quality. The second installment or sequel is Crossing the Quality Chasm which I have just started. Then I will get back to finishing the Primer book on Quality.
July 21, 2008
This is not a fun read, but it is an enlightening and very important read for anyone who has dealings with the American health system.
October 10, 2011
Extremely dry, but informative with great information. I work in mental health and found that a lot was not applicable.
Want to read
April 14, 2008referred to in many of my class readings...maybe I should just read it?
December 1, 2008
Very dry, but informative. It is a report, so I don't know what I was expecting. : )
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews