To Err Is Human: Building a Safer Health System [Hardcover]

Committee on Quality of Health Care in America (Author), Institute of Medicine (Author), Linda T. Kohn (Editor), Janet M. Corrigan (Editor), Molla S. Donaldson (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0309068371 | ISBN-13: 978-0309068376 | Publication Date: April 15, 2000 | Edition: 1

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. This book is the first in a series of publications from the Quality of Health Care in America, a project initiated by the Institute of Medicine.

Editorial Reviews

Book Description

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

About the Author

Linda T. Kohn, Janet M. Corrigan, and Molla S. Donaldson, Editors; Committee on Quality of Health Care in America, Institute of Medicine

Product Details

• Hardcover: 287 pages
• Publisher: National Academies Press; 1 edition (April 15, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0309068371
• ISBN-13: 978-0309068376
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #61,918 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #15 in Books > Medical Books > Administration & Medicine Economics > Health Care Administration
  • #33 in Books > Medical Books > Administration & Medicine Economics > Hospital Administration

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

37 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The committee approach, May 16, 2000

By 

Robert Barth (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: To Err Is Human: Building a Safer Health System (Hardcover)

This is a book which, despite being written by a committee and showing it, has a definite point of view. It is somewhat superficial, but contains a fairly good review of the literature on medical error and some definite ideas about what to do. This is the book for policy wonks who are interested both in health care and in government intervention. Those looking for more in-depth treatment of the subject would do well to consider Human Error in Medicine, edited by Marilyn Sue Bogner.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Very Strong Case for Change, October 13, 2009

By 

PLOM (Sydney, AUSTRALIA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: To Err Is Human: Building a Safer Health System (Hardcover)

Far from being just another catalogue of avoidable trajedy this well written and well researched volume focuses on what needs to be done. It recommends nothing short of a a wholesale change in the design and structure of the healthcare industry.

You will not read this book and feel comfortable with the status quo. You will not read this book and think things can change easilly. You will not read this book and give up hope - it is something like a, "call to arms" for all caring and motivated people to act to change things for the better.

Try and imagine healthcare delivered like Toyota make cars - zero defects, just in time, team-based problem solving... not silos and secrecy. Bravo to the authors for their courage and insight.

You may also enjoy, Lean Hospitals: Improving Quality, Patient Safety, and Employee Satisfaction if you enjoy this book.

16 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Everyone should read this book, May 15, 2000

By 

"flickjunkie" - See all my reviews

This review is from: To Err Is Human: Building a Safer Health System (Hardcover)

This eye opening book exposes the dangers of the medical health care system in the United States. Tens of thousands of people die and are injured every year due to doctors' errors, administrative foul ups, misdiagnoses, and incorrect prescriptions. The book gives general solutions for the system as a whole and advice to the individual to help you protect yourself when you are being treated by a doctor or hospital.

My spouse is a Medical Malpractice attorney and you would not believe the frequency of tragic and catastophic errors made by health care providers that change and end people's lives unnecessarily. It can happen to anyone without warning. Protect yourself and purchase this book today for a no nonsense look at the system you may one day depend on to save your life.