To Err Is Human: Building a Safer Health System PDF
Preview To Err Is Human: Building a Safer Health System
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/9728.html We ship printed books within 1 business day; personal PDFs are available immediately. To Err Is Human: Building a Safer Health System Linda T. Kohn, Janet M. Corrigan, and Molla S. Donaldson, Editors; Committee on Quality of Health Care in America, Institute of Medicine ISBN: 0-309-51563-7, 312 pages, 6 x 9, (2000) This PDF is available from the National Academies Press at: http://www.nap.edu/catalog/9728.html Visit the National Academies Press online, the authoritative source for all books from the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, the Institute of Medicine, and the National Research Council: • Download hundreds of free books in PDF • Read thousands of books online for free • Explore our innovative research tools – try the “Research Dashboard” now! • Sign up to be notified when new books are published • Purchase printed books and selected PDF files Thank you for downloading this PDF. If you have comments, questions or just want more information about the books published by the National Academies Press, you may contact our customer service department toll- free at 888-624-8373, visit us online, or send an email to To Err Is Human: Building a Safer Health System http://www.nap.edu/catalog/9728.html To Err Is Human Building a Safer Health System Linda T. Kohn, Janet M. Corrigan, and Molla S. Donaldson, Editors Committee on Quality of Health Care in America INSTITUTE OF MEDICINE NATIONAL ACADEMY PRESS Washington, D.C. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. To Err Is Human: Building a Safer Health System http://www.nap.edu/catalog/9728.html NATIONAL ACADEMY PRESS • 2101 Constitution Avenue, N.W. • Washington, DC 20418 NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Insti- tute of Medicine. The members of the committee responsible for the report were chosen for their special competences and with regard for appropriate balance. Support for this project was provided by The National Research Council and The Commonwealth Fund. The views presented in this report are those of the Institute of Medicine Committee on the Quality of Health Care in America and are not necessarily those of the funding agencies. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data To err is human : building a safer health system / Linda T. Kohn, Janet M. Corrigan, and Molla S. Donaldson, editors. p. cm Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-309-06837-1 1. Medical errors—Prevention. I. Kohn, Linda T. II. Corrigan, Janet. III. Donaldson, Molla S. R729.8.T6 2000 362.1—dc21 99-088993 Additional copies of this report are available for sale from the National Academy Press, 2101 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Box 285, Washington, DC 20055; call (800) 624-6242 or (202) 334-3313 in the Washington metropolitan area, or visit the NAP on-line book- store at www.nap.edu. The full text of this report is available on line at www.nap.edu/readingroom. For more information about the Institute of Medicine, visit the IOM home page at www.iom.edu. Copyright 2000 by the National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America The serpent has been a symbol of long life, healing, and knowledge among almost all cultures and religions since the beginning of recorded history. The serpent adopted as a logotype by the Institute of Medicine is a relief carving from ancient Greece, now held by the Staatliche Museen in Berlin. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. To Err Is Human: Building a Safer Health System http://www.nap.edu/catalog/9728.html National Academy of Sciences National Academy of Engineering Institute of Medicine National Research Council The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit, self-perpetuating society of distinguished scholars engaged in scientific and engineering research, dedicated to the furtherance of science and technology and to their use for the general welfare. Upon the authority of the charter granted to it by the Congress in 1863, the Academy has a man- date that requires it to advise the federal government on scientific and technical matters. Dr. Bruce M. Alberts is president of the National Academy of Sciences. The National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964, under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences, as a parallel organization of outstanding engineers. It is autonomous in its administration and in the selection of its members, sharing with the National Academy of Sciences the responsibility for advising the federal government. The National Academy of Engineering also sponsors engineering programs aimed at meeting national needs, encourages education and research, and recognizes the superior achievements of engineers. Dr. William A. Wulf is president of the National Academy of Engineering. The Institute of Medicine was established in 1970 by the National Academy of Sciences to secure the services of eminent members of appropriate professions in the examination of policy matters pertaining to the health of the public. The Institute acts under the responsibility given to the National Academy of Sciences by its congressional charter to be an adviser to the federal government and, upon its own initiative, to identify issues of medical care, research, and education. Dr. Kenneth I. Shine is president of the Institute of Medicine. The National Research Council was organized by the National Academy of Sci- ences in 1916 to associate the broad community of science and technology with the Academy’s purposes of furthering knowledge and advising the federal government. Func- tioning in accordance with general policies determined by the Academy, the Council has become the principal operating agency of both the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering in providing services to the government, the pub- lic, and the scientific and engineering communities. The Council is administered jointly by both Academies and the Institute of Medicine. Dr. Bruce M. Alberts and Dr. William A. Wulf are chairman and vice chairman, respectively, of the National Research Council. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. To Err Is Human: Building a Safer Health System http://www.nap.edu/catalog/9728.html Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. To Err Is Human: Building a Safer Health System http://www.nap.edu/catalog/9728.html COMMITTEE ON QUALITY OF HEALTH CARE IN AMERICA WILLIAM C. RICHARDSON (Chair), President and CEO, W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Battle Creek, MI DONALD M. BERWICK, President and CEO, Institute for Healthcare Improvement, Boston J. CRIS BISGARD, Director, Health Services, Delta Air Lines, Inc., Atlanta LONNIE R. BRISTOW, Past President, American Medical Association, Walnut Creek, CA CHARLES R. BUCK, Program Leader, Health Care Quality and Strategy Initiatives, General Electric Company, Fairfield, CT CHRISTINE K. CASSEL, Professor and Chairman, Department of Geriatrics and Adult Development, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York City MARK R. CHASSIN, Professor and Chairman, Department of Health Policy, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York City MOLLY JOEL COYE, Senior Vice President and Director, West Coast Office, The Lewin Group, San Francisco DON E. DETMER, Dennis Gillings Professor of Health Management, University of Cambridge, UK JEROME H. GROSSMAN, Chairman and CEO, Lion Gate Management Corporation, Boston BRENT JAMES, Executive Director, Intermountain Health Care, Institute for Health Care Delivery Research, Salt Lake City, UT DAVID McK. LAWRENCE, Chairman and CEO, Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc., Oakland, CA LUCIAN LEAPE, Adjunct Professor, Harvard School of Public Health ARTHUR LEVIN, Director, Center for Medical Consumers, New York City RHONDA ROBINSON-BEALE, Executive Medical Director, Managed Care Management and Clinical Programs, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, Southfield JOSEPH E. SCHERGER, Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs, University of California at Irvine College of Medicine ARTHUR SOUTHAM, Partner, 2C Solutions, Northridge, CA MARY WAKEFIELD, Director, Center for Health Policy and Ethics, George Mason University GAIL L. WARDEN, President and CEO, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit v Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. To Err Is Human: Building a Safer Health System http://www.nap.edu/catalog/9728.html Study Staff JANET M. CORRIGAN, Director, Division of Health Care Services, Director, Quality of Health Care in America Project MOLLA S. DONALDSON, Project Co-Director LINDA T. KOHN, Project Co-Director TRACY McKAY, Research Assistant KELLY C. PIKE, Senior Project Assistant Auxiliary Staff MIKE EDINGTON, Managing Editor KAY C. HARRIS, Financial Advisor SUZANNE MILLER, Senior Project Assistant Copy Editor FLORENCE POILLON vi Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. To Err Is Human: Building a Safer Health System http://www.nap.edu/catalog/9728.html Reviewers his report has been reviewed in draft form by individuals chosen for their diverse perspectives and technical expertise, in accordance with Tprocedures approved by the National Research Council’s Report Re- view Committee. The purpose of this independent review is to provide can- did and critical comments that will assist the Institute of Medicine in mak- ing the published report as sound as possible and to ensure that the report meets institutional standards for objectivity, evidence, and responsiveness to the study charge. The review comments and the draft manuscript remain confidential to protect the integrity of the deliberative process. The commit- tee wishes to thank the following individuals for their participation in the review of this report: GERALDINE BEDNASH, Executive Director, American Association of Colleges of Nursing, Washington, DC PETER BOUXSEIN, Visiting Scholar, Institute of Medicine, Washington, DC JOHN COLMERS, Executive Director, Maryland Health Care Cost and Access Commission, Baltimore JEFFREY COOPER, Director, Partners Biomedical Engineering Group, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston ROBERT HELMREICH, Professor, University of Texas at Austin vii Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. To Err Is Human: Building a Safer Health System http://www.nap.edu/catalog/9728.html viii REVIEWERS LOIS KERCHER, Vice President for Nursing, Sentara-Virginia Beach General Hospital, Virginia Beach, VA GORDON MOORE, Associate Chief Medical Officer, Strong Health, Rochester, NY ALAN NELSON, Associate Executive Vice President, American College of Physicians/American Society of Internal Medicine, Washington, DC LEE NEWCOMER, Chief Medical Officer, United HealthCare Corporation, Minnetonka, MN MARY JANE OSBORN, University of Connecticut Health Center ELLISON PIERCE, Executive Director, Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation, Boston Although the individuals acknowledged have provided valuable com- ments and suggestions, responsibility for the final contents of the report rests solely with the authoring committee and the Institute of Medicine. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. To Err Is Human: Building a Safer Health System http://www.nap.edu/catalog/9728.html Preface o Err Is Human: Building a Safer Health System. The title of this report encapsulates its purpose. Human beings, in all lines of work, Tmake errors. Errors can be prevented by designing systems that make it hard for people to do the wrong thing and easy for people to do the right thing. Cars are designed so that drivers cannot start them while in reverse because that prevents accidents. Work schedules for pilots are designed so they don’t fly too many consecutive hours without rest because alertness and performance are compromised. In health care, building a safer system means designing processes of care to ensure that patients are safe from accidental injury. When agreement has been reached to pursue a course of medical treatment, patients should have the assurance that it will proceed correctly and safely so they have the best chance possible of achieving the desired outcome. This report describes a serious concern in health care that, if discussed at all, is discussed only behind closed doors. As health care and the system that delivers it become more complex, the opportunities for errors abound. Correcting this will require a concerted effort by the professions, health care organizations, purchasers, consumers, regulators and policy-makers. Tradi- tional clinical boundaries and a culture of blame must be broken down. But most importantly, we must systematically design safety into processes of care. This report is part of larger project examining the quality of health care ix Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
The list of books you might like
