Since the industry-wide wake-up call prompted by the Institute of Medicine’s landmark report To Err Is Human (2000) and the follow-up report Preventing Medication Errors (2006), patient safety has become one of the foremost concerns in healthcare, with the prevention of medication errors in acute care settings as a key priority.

When consumers have more information, do they indeed make better decisions? With the availability of a variety of magazines and newsletters documenting the best this and the best that, do we as consumers make better decisions for our lives?

In its landmark report, To Err Is Human (2000), The Institute of Medicine (IOM) estimated that between 44,000 and 98,000 patients die each year as a result of medical errors.

It’s no secret that the current system of healthcare in the United States needs improvement. Costs continue to grow; errors persist in treatment; overall dissatisfaction with availability, responsiveness, and hospital-acquired infections climb.

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines system as “a regularly interacting or interdependent group of items forming a unified whole.” As I travel across the country, I realize more and more that America’s healthcare delivery system really isn’t a system.

I am halfway through a 1-month stay in Barcelona, Spain (pinch me). I came for the World Congress meeting at the end of March and will stay through the BMJ/IHI International Forum in late April, followed immediately by a half-day workshop sponsored by the European Society for Quality Healthcare

In its report Preventing Medication Errors (2006), the Institute of Medicine estimated hospital patients are subjected to an average of at least one medication administration error per day.

2014-03-17Many hospitals have been considering a new technology that is often referred to as RFID (radio frequency identification). The technology can be used to track the location of medical devices needed for inspections or repairs, and it can also be used to find equipment needed for clinical procedures.

Despite focused, collaborative national and regional efforts to improve the quality of healthcare delivered in the United States, the number of patients who do not receive appropriate treatment remains high. In fact, for certain services, recommended care is delivered only about half the time.

Anyone who has been the victim of identity theft is most likely very familiar with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). First enacted in 1970 and amended at least 17 times since then, the FCRA codifies in federal law all the rights and privileges of consumers that impact their personal credit histories.