Medical Errors

Medical errors are mistakes made by healthcare professionals during patient care. These errors can involve:

• Doing something that should not be done
• Failing to perform necessary actions
• Incorrectly executing procedures

Medical errors can occur at various stages such as diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and medication administration. They may be errors of omission (failing to do something necessary) or commission (doing something wrong).

Examples of medical errors include:

• Misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis
• Administering the wrong medication or dosage
• Performing surgery on the wrong site
• Leaving surgical instruments inside a patient
• Failing to remove or check for correct blood types
• Errors in medical imaging interpretation
• Hospital-acquired infections
• Patient falls or injuries during care

Medical errors can range from minor mistakes with no harm to serious adverse outcomes, including death. In fact, studies suggest medical errors are a leading cause of death in the United States.

The definition of medical error includes both acts that cause harm and those that could potentially cause harm, emphasizing the importance of identifying and addressing faulty processes even if no adverse outcome occurs.

Factors contributing to medical errors include human oversight, systemic failures, and poor communication among healthcare providers. Efforts to reduce medical errors focus on improving safety protocols, communication, and patient involvement in their own care.

In summary, medical errors are preventable adverse effects of care caused by mistakes in planning or execution by healthcare professionals, which can lead to harm or potential harm to patients.