The strategies that have been implemented to address the problem of medical errors

[jenannebeard]

This is the only question I have to address in a group oral presentation and I'm so frustrated trying to get a straight answer! I wanted to see what government actions has been implemented after the report "To Err Is Human" by the Institute of Medicine was released in 1999. I've been researching all day and all the agencies involved is just confusing me further. I just need a website or resource that lists the strategies that have EVOLVED in the health care system. I don't understand why this is so hard to find. I found FDA's way to eliminate medical errors, but I was trying to find a general list of what most hospitals are doing to elminate medical errors. Any tips. PLEASE!!! Thank you!

[EricJRN, MSN, RN]

Most hospitals strive to maintain accreditation from The Joint Commission, which entails working with an evolving list of patient safety goals. The Joint Commission itself is non-governmental though.

There is a huge federal health reimbursement agency that establishes some guidelines and regulations that hospitals must follow, but I think they list fewer specific safety measures.

[evolvingrn, BSN, RN]

scanning medications before giving

pharmacy verifying all drs med orders

bedside reporting where you trace the lines with oncoming staff

scanning fluids at beginning of shift and verifying rate

two signatures required for high risk meds dilt drips, insulin drips, heparin drips, epidurals, pcas ect.......

[Simply Complicated]

My facility is no longer accredited through JHACO. We are accredited through the DNV. Here's their website, maybe you can get some info from there.

http://dnvaccreditation.com/pr/dnv/default.aspx

[mazy]

I think that part of the problem that you're facing is that although certain pracitcal standards and protocols have been implemented to prevent med errors, health care facilities are still scrambling to come up with a really coherent and cohesive strategy to deal with the root causes of the problem.

For instance, some issues to consider -- that facilities don't seem to want to consider -- would be nurses working with higher acuity patients and having less support and resources, unmanageable patient loads, overworked and overtired nurses, short staffing, and inadequate training and orientation for new nurses; all of which lead to med errors; however, facilities don't seem to be all that invested in fixing that issue.

[nursej22, MSN, RN]

Check out AHRQ, in particular this page:

http://psnet.ahrq.gov/primerHome.aspx

It lists many of the interventions that have been put into effect, including checklists, med reconciliation, hand hygiene, etc.