Medical Errors & Patient Safety
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The very critical issues of medical errors and patient safety have received a great deal of attention. In November 1999, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) released a report estimating that as many as 98,000 patients die as the result of medical errors in hospitals each year.
A major Federal initiative has been launched to reduce medical errors and improve patient safety in federally funded health care programs, and by example and partnership, in the private sector.
Online Journals
PSNet: AHRQ Patient Safety Network
Web M&M: Morbidity & Mortality Rounds Online
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Tools & Resources
Tips for Consumers & Patients
Five Steps to Safer Health Care
20 Tips to Help Prevent Medical Errors: Patient Fact Sheet
20 Tips to Help Prevent Medical Errors in Children
Be Prepared for Medical Appointments
It's Your Health: Use Your Medications Safely
Ways You Can Help Your Family Prevent Medical Errors!
Background
AHRQ's Patient Safety Initiative: Building Foundations, Reducing Risk: Interim Report to the Senate
To Err is Human: Building a Safer Health System: Institute of Medicine report
Health Care-Associated Infections—New
Improving Patient Safety Through Simulation Research
Medical Errors: The Scope of the Problem
Methodological Shortcomings and Estimates of Adverse Events: Technical Review
National Survey on Consumer Experiences With Patient Safety and Quality
Patient Safety: Achieving a New Standard for Care: Institute of Medicine report on health care data standards
Patient Safety E-newsletter Archives
Patient Safety Research Highlights: Program Brief
Reducing Medical Errors in Health Care: Fact Sheet
Safe Practices for Better Healthcare: Summary: National Quality Forum Consensus Report
Web Chat Transcript: Patient Safety Research
Web M&M: Fact Sheet
Communication & Teamwork
Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture
2008 Comparative Database Submission Information
2008 Comparative Database Report
2007 Comparative Database Report
Nursing Home Survey on Patient Safety: User's Guide—New!
Nursing Home Survey on Patient Safety Culture: Survey Forms—New!
(PDF File, 75 KB; PDF Help; Word® File, 170 KB)
Nursing Home Survey on Patient Safety Culture: Items and Dimensions—New!
Is Our Pharmacy Meeting Patients' Needs?
Medical Teamwork and Patient Safety: The Evidence-based Relation
Strategies to Improve Communication Between Pharmacy Staff and Patients
TeamSTEPPS™: National Implementation (Web Site)
Design & Working Conditions
The Effect of Health Care Working Conditions on Patient Safety: Evidence Report
The Hospital Built Environment: What Role Might Funders of Health Services Research Play?
Transforming Hospitals: Designing for Safety and Quality
DVD Available
Implementation & Transformation
10 Patient Safety Tips for Hospitals
30 Safe Practices for Better Health Care
Advances in Patient Safety: New Directions
and Alternative Approaches—New!
Advances in Patient Safety: From Research to Implementation
Becoming a High Reliability Organization: Operational Advice for Hospital Leaders
Closing the Quality Gap: Quality Improvement Strategies
Closing the Quality Gap: Diabetes Care Strategies
Closing the Quality Gap: Hypertension Care Strategies
Consumer Financial Incentives: A Decision Guide for Purchasers
Developing a Community-Based Patient Safety Advisory Council
Mistake-Proofing the Design of Health Care Processes
Partnerships in Implementing Patient Safety (PIPS)
Patient Safety Tools: Improving Safety at the Point of Care
Patient Safety Tools: Program Brief
Patient Safety Improvement Corps: 2007-08 State Organizations
DVD for Institutional Training
Patient Safety Challenge Grants: Translating Research Into Practice
Patient Safety and Quality: An Evidence-Based Handbook for Nurses
Priority Areas for National Action: Transforming Health Care Quality
Purchaser-Provider Synergies
Reducing Errors in Health Care
Reducing and Preventing Adverse Drug Events To Decrease Hospital Costs
Toolkit for Redesign in Health Care
Patient Safety Organizations (PSOs)
Patient Safety Organizations: Web Site—New!
Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act of 2005
Patient Safety Research & Funding Opportunities
Advances in Patient Safety: From Research to Implementation
Ambulatory Safety and Quality Program: Health IT Portfolio
Funding Opportunities
Active: Requests for Applications, Program Announcements, Contracts
Archived: Grants and Contracts
Tools & Techniques
AHRQ Patient Safety Tools and Resources
Automated Telephone Reminders
How to Create a Pill Card
Preventing Hospital-Acquired Venous Thromboembolism: A Guide for Effective Quality Improvement—New!
Problems and Prevention: Chest Tube Insertion
Tools, Methods, and Techniques for Improving Patient Safety
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Conferences & Workshops
AHRQ's Quality Challenge Summit (Video)
Agenda for Research in Ambulatory Patient Safety: Conference Synthesis
Can You Minimize Health Care Costs by Improving Patient Safety? (Web Conference)
Improved Patient Safety: Sharing Issues, Successes, and Challenges Across States: Workshop Brief
Improving Patient Safety In Rural Hospitals: A Workshop With Wisconsin Health Care Leaders
Making the Health Care System Safer: Second Annual Patient Safety Research Conference
Making the Health Care System Safer: Third Annual Patient Safety Research Conference
Partnerships in Implementing Patient Safety (Technical Assistance)
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Speeches & Statements
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Congressional Hearings
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