Peter J Pronovost Alan D Ravitz Robert A Stoll Susan B Kennedy
This paper argues that patient harm can only be effectively managed by the induction of holistic models that integrate the dual impact societies and tech innovations play in shaping patient safety. In addition to addressing gaps in current health models and proposing possible solutions.
Patient safety has long been recognized as an area for improvement. Reduction in harm and waste are goals of us all – patients, providers, policymakers, and payers. Yet harm and waste endure, seemingly unabated. Each of these stakeholders has made tremendous efforts to remedy the problem, yet the efforts have largely been superficial and siloed, and the inferences regarding improvement often exceed the robustness of the results. What is missing is a systematic, sector-wide approach, underpinned by sound principles in safety science. How do we build on these initiatives, re-energize and co-ordinate the various stakeholders, and re-focus our collective efforts to realize patient safety?