To Err Is Human, But This Is Something Else

As early as 2004, there was recognition that efforts to advance patient safety were not moving forward comprehensively enough to be responsive to the problem. Where do we stand now?

17 minute read December 23, 2010 at 08:50 AM

John Ratkowitz

To Err Is Human, But This Is Something Else

In November 1999, the Institute of Medicine (IOM), a branch of the National Academy of Sciences, published a study declaring that a threshold improvement in the quality of health care was urgently needed because medical negligence committed in hospitals in the United States was killing more people annually than motor vehicle accidents, breast cancer and AIDS.

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