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The problem of mixing productivity with patient safety

Michael Appel, MD
Policy
April 20, 2012

The fundamental challenge in any high-risk industry is balancing “productivity” versus “safety.” The term “protection” is frequently used within the scientific literature to express the role of safety departments within an organization. Described this way, it might sound as if the safety experts are framing the debate to suggest “the evil factory bosses are continually speeding up the assembly line, while the righteous safety-folks are yelling ‘slow down!’” This essential …

Read more…

The problem of mixing productivity with patient safety

The necessary steps healthcare must take for patient safety

Michael Appel, MD
Physician
March 24, 2012

Unlike most other industries, safety in healthcare has a unique set of circumstances to overcome: 1) patients die from errors one-at-a-time, and 2) we rarely find out exactly why. The “sensationalism” from a front-page disaster is completely absent. And, due to a myriad of factors, the underlying hazards usually remain a secret.

As we ride the crest of a current wave of interest in “patient safety,” is the refreshing new focus blinding …

Read more…

The necessary steps healthcare must take for patient safety

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  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Politics and fear have replaced science in U.S. pain management [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
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    • The controversy over Maintenance of Certification for grandfathered physicians

      Bernard Leo Remakus, MD | Physician
    • How hindsight bias distorts clinical medicine

      Olumuyiwa Bamgbade, MD | Physician
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      Shuchita Gupta, MD | Physician
    • The hidden math behind physician hiring costs and recruitment

      Timothy Lesaca, MD | Physician
  • Past 6 Months

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      Stephanie Waggel, MD | Policy
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    • The 9 laws of health care quality: Why metrics miss the point

      Constantine Ioannou, MD | Physician
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      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • From Singapore to Canada: a blueprint for primary care transformation

      Ivy Oandasan, MD | Policy
    • How board certification fuels the physician shortage crisis

      Brian Hudes, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • Why measuring muscle mass matters more than tracking your weight [PODCAST]

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    • Health insurance incentives and alternatives to opioids for chronic pain

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    • Independent medical practice: Why private clinics are essential

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    • How hindsight bias distorts clinical medicine

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      Desiree Francis, MD | Physician
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