Introduction
In the field of healthcare, one of the main concerns is to ensure quality services and patient safety. To do this, it is necessary to implement strategies and approaches that will prevent such a problem as medical errors. This issue is one of the most common and thus requires the most attention. The main task of this research work is to analyze the urgency of solving medical malfunctions in the United States. This process will take place through the identification of the most concerning patient safety risk factors that interfere with the implementation of strategies for reducing harmful events.
In the context of the topic under discussion, it is essential to note that aspects such as patients’ health history and practitioners’ expertise are of the most significant value. This is due to the fact that the way they interact directly affects the outcomes of health services. Moreover, it is noted that advancing technology and practices in the medical field pose more risks to human life, with over 250,000 deaths annually due to medical errors (James, 2013).
Following this information, it is necessary to determine the causes of the problem under discussion and find approaches that will ensure patient safety. Among the most productive methods that can be identified are enhanced patient identification and communication strategies, medical decision-making, and the promotion of resilient doctor-patient relationships (World Health Organization, 2023). These approaches can help limit the occurrence of medical errors in the field of healthcare.
In modern healthcare, medical errors are the most common challenge that healthcare providers face. They have become a severe problem and are the third leading cause of death in the United States (Makary & Daniels, 2016). Therefore, it is essential to study the various contextual aspects of medical errors from the perspective of a healthcare provider, a surgical department manager, and a patient advocate. Based on this information, it is possible to identify key drivers of medical mistakes and propose holistic solutions that prioritize patient safety.
Personal Experiences and Biases
First of all, such factors as personal experience and bias are of critical importance. In the context of the health sector, it can become not only a barrier to access to medical services but also the occurrence of errors. Therefore, it can affect the decision-making process regarding the treatment of individuals or the assignment of tasks and obligations to other employees. This is mainly reflected in roles in direct patient care and surgical department administration. This can lead to an increase in patient complaints related to medical mistakes and a decrease in the quality of services.
Medical Errors: An Overlooked Factor
Miscommunication is a crucial factor in the occurrence of medical errors but is often overlooked. Research has shown that “communication failures are a significant contributing cause of malpractice claims and impose a substantial financial burden on the healthcare system” (Humphrey et al., 2022, p. 131). This crucial issue can lead to misdiagnosis and inappropriate treatment plans, further endangering the patient’s health.
Proposed Solutions
In order to limit the negative impact of medical errors and promote their prevention, it is necessary to implement several important steps. One of them is the collection of a specialized patient safety team and the implementation of a mechanism for reporting patient and staff incidents. The specialists involved in this initiative should have experience in dealing with this problem and be based on evidence-based practices to achieve the most tremendous success.
Increased Patient Identification
This initiative focuses on implementing Increased Patient Identification measures. This aspect implies the use of modern technology, such as biometric identification or barcoding. These advancements will contribute to improving accuracy levels, especially when dealing with patient identification issues. This aspect may also include improving data analysis, which will help reveal patterns, trends, and risks that may prevent future medical errors (Sittig & Singh, 2017). This can be done using electronic health records for patient safety score research.
Improved Communication
The following solution is to improve communication between medical professionals and patients. Thus, it is possible to limit disputes over misdiagnosis and facilitate patient participation (Joint Commission, 2020). This approach should focus on establishing communication channels between these healthcare participants and fostering the most favorable climate in the medical facility.
Opposing View
It is worth noting that there is an opposite opinion, which has an excellent point of view on the problem of medical errors in the provision of health services. Thus, the main reason is the lack of proactive measures and protocols that would limit the possibility of the problem under discussion. However, many healthcare organizations pay great attention to this aspect. This is because protocols help identify root causes before they manifest into adverse patient events (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 2018). Moreover, they contribute to a more productive decision-making process for treatment and patient care.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the problem of medical errors is one of the main threats to patient safety. It is the leading cause of mortality and complications in the treatment of individuals. Thus, it requires paying attention to processes such as communication, patients’ health history, and practitioners’ expertise and data analysis to reduce and prevent data from undesirable events and improve the quality of health services.
References
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. (2018). Making health care safer II: An updated critical analysis of the evidence for patient safety practices. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Web.
Humphrey, K. E., Sundberg, M., Milliren, C. E., Graham, D. A., & Landrigan, C. P. (2022). Frequency and nature of communication and handoff failures in medical malpractice claims. Journal of Patient Safety, 18(2), 130-137. Web.
James, J. T. (2013). A new, evidence-based estimate of patient harms associated with hospital care. Journal of Patient Safety, 9(3), 122-128. Web.
Joint Commission. (2020). Improving patient and worker safety: Opportunities for synergy, collaboration and innovation. Joint Commission Resources. Web.
Makary, M. A., & Daniel, M. (2016). Medical error—the third leading cause of death in the US. BMJ, 353. Web.
Sittig, D. F., & Singh, H. (2015). A new socio-technical model for studying health information technology in complex adaptive healthcare systems. Cognitive Informatics for Biomedicine: Human Computer Interaction in Healthcare, 59-80.
World Health Organization. (2023). Patient safety. World Health Organization. Web.