Medical Error Reduction and Prevention

Overview

4.7 out of 5 (218 Reviews)

Credits

2.50

Post Assessment Questions

13

Start Date

1 Sep 2023

Last Review Date

12 Feb 2024

Expiration Date

31 Aug 2026

Estimated Time To Finish

150 Minutes


 
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Activity Description

Medical errors have more recently been recognized as a serious public health problem, reported as the third leading cause of death in the US. One study reported that approximately 400,000 hospitalized patients experience some preventable harm each year, while another estimated that >200,000 patient deaths annually were due to preventable medical errors. Moreover, medical errors have a high cost, with some experts estimating adverse events costing the healthcare system $20 billion each year and others approximating healthcare costs of $35.7 to $45 billion annually for hospital-acquired infections alone. Medical errors also negatively impact the patient, their family, involved clinicians and support staff, the healthcare facility, and the community. Healthcare professionals may experience profound psychological effects (eg, anger, guilt, inadequacy, depression, and suicidal ideation) due to actual or perceived errors, which the threat of impending legal action may compound.

Uncovering the cause of these errors, as well as providing viable solutions to avoid these errors from occurring, is challenging. However, patient safety can be improved by identifying the contributing factors and events that result in medical errors, developing multifaceted prevention protocols, and implementing these strategies at various healthcare levels. Healthcare professionals should be familiar with the different types of medical errors to understand better the adverse events that may be caused. Common types of medical errors include surgical errors, diagnostic errors, medication errors, equipment failures, patient falls, hospital-acquired infections, and communication failures. By identifying the deficiencies, failures, and risk factors that lead to an adverse event, corrective measures can be developed to prevent similar errors. Encouraging individuals involved in every aspect of healthcare to report medical errors is essential to this process. Confidential reporting options are necessary to identify deficiencies or failures a system may contain. Changing workplace culture and developing protocols for addressing medical errors can encourage medical error reporting. Institutions that adopt a patient safety culture and implement corrective interventions can make healthcare safer for patients and healthcare workers. This activity for healthcare professionals is designed to enhance the learner's understanding of medical errors and the importance of corrective interventions, enabling them to reduce medical error rates and improve patient safety. The course also highlights the interprofessional team's role in performing this analysis to prevent medical errors and improve clinical outcomes. 


Target Audience

This activity has been designed to meet the educational needs of physicians, physician associates, nurses, pharmacists, nurse practitioners, and social workers.

Learning Objectives

At the conclusion of this activity, the learner will be better able to:

  • Identify the various different types of medical errors and how they can impact patient care.

  • Implement strategies to help improve medical error reporting by clinical providers.

  • Differentiate between active and latent errors, and describe how they differ from adverse events, sentinel events, and never events.

  • Collaborate with an interprofessional team of clinicians, nurses, pharmacists, and education specialists to build a culture of patient safety and improve clinical outcomes.

Disclosures

StatPearls, LLC requires everyone who influences the content of an educational activity to disclose relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies that have occurred within the past 24 months. Ineligible companies are organizations whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients. All relevant conflict(s) of interest have been mitigated. Hover over contributor names for financial disclosures. Others involved in planning this educational activity have no relevant financial relationships to disclose.

Commercial Support: This activity has received NO commercial support.

Continuing Education Accreditation Information

In support of improving patient care, StatPearls, LLC is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

 

Physicians and Physician Associates: StatPearls, LLC designates this enduring material for a maximum of 2.50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)TM. Physicians and PAs should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

American Board of Anesthesiology: This activity contributes to the CME component of the American Board of Anesthesiology’s redesigned Maintenance of Certification in AnesthesiologyTM (MOCA®) program, known as MOCA 2.0®. Please consult the ABA website, www.theABA.org, for a list of all MOCA 2.0 requirements.

American Board of Internal Medicine: Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the participant to earn up to 2.50 MOC points in the American Board of Internal Medicine’s (ABIM) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program. It is the CME activity provider’s responsibility to submit participant completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting ABIM MOC credit.

American Board of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery: Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the participant to earn their required annual part II self-assessment credit in the American Board of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery’s Continuing Certification program (formerly known as MOC). It is the CME activity provider's responsibility to submit participant completion information to ACCME for the purpose of recognizing participation.

American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery: Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the learner to earn credit toward the CME and Self-Assessment Examination requirements of the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery’s (ABOS) Maintenance of Certification program. It is the CME activity provider's responsibility to submit learner completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting ABOS credit.

American Board of Pathology: Successful completion of this Continuing Certification activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the participant to earn up to 2.50 Lifelong Learning (CME) credits in the American Board of Pathology’s Continuing Certification Program.

American Board of Pediatrics: Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the learner to earn up to 2.50 MOC points in the American Board of Pediatrics’ (ABP) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program. It is the CME activity provider’s responsibility to submit learner completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting ABP MOC credit.

American Board of Surgery: Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the learner to earn credit toward the CME and Self-Assessment requirement(s) of the American Board of Surgery’s Continuous Certification program. It is the CME activity provider's responsibility to submit learner completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting ABS credit.

American Board of Thoracic Surgery: Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the learner to earn credit toward the CME and Self-Assessment in Practice requirements of the American Board of Thoracic Surgery’s Maintenance of Certification program. It is the CME activity provider's responsibility to submit learner completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting ABTS credit.

Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada: Through an agreement between the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, medical practitioners participating in the Royal College MOC Program may record completion of accredited activities registered under the ACCME’s “CME in Support of MOC” program in Section 3 of the Royal College’s MOC Program.

Please consult your professional licensing board for information on the applicability and acceptance of continuing education credit for this activity.

Method of Participation and Credit

  1. Register for the activity.    
  2. Review the target audience, learning objectives, and disclosure information.
  3. Study the educational content of the enduring material.
  4. Choose the best answer to each activity test question. To receive credit and a certificate, you must pass the test questions with a minimum score of 100%.
  5. Complete the post-activity assessment survey.

If you have concerns regarding the CE/CME system, please contact support@statpearls.com.

Disclaimer

This educational activity was planned and produced in accordance with the ACCME Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education. Faculty may discuss investigational products or off-label uses of products regulated by the FDA. Readers should verify all information before employing any therapies described in this educational activity.

The information provided for this activity is for continuing education purposes only and is not meant to substitute for the independent medical/clinical judgment of a healthcare provider relative to diagnostic and treatment options of a specific patient’s medical condition. The information presented does not necessarily reflect the views of StatPearls or any commercial supporters of educational activities on statpearls.com. StatPearls expressly disclaims responsibility for any adverse consequences resulting directly or indirectly from information in the course, for undetected error, or through a participant's misunderstanding of the content.

Unapproved Uses of Drugs/Devices: In accordance with FDA requirements, the audience is advised that information presented in this continuing education activity may contain references to unlabeled or unapproved uses of drugs or devices. Please refer to the FDA-approved package insert for each drug/device for full prescribing/utilization information.

Cancellation Policy: Please see the cancellation policy. StatPearls, LLC reserves the right to cancel any course due to unforeseen circumstances.

 

 
 

Reviews

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Course helpful

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on 10/25/2022

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I am pleased with the challenge the self assessment questions provide in the format of a case study. It helps to apply the information read in the article.

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The website is a bit cumbersome, but I finally figured it out. It is not intuitive. The class though was quite easy to navigate however.

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nothing

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Informative

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James R. on 2/10/2023

fine sample clinical cases

DANIEL F. on 12/31/2023

I’ve always liked PowerPoint presentations, and I think you’ve veered away from that. If my recollection is correct, you used to have some amazing PowerPoint presentations.

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Logan R. on 8/4/2023

I found some of the content confusing. For example, there was a section that said how much money errors cost. Right after, a different dollar amount was given, without explanation of the discrepancy

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As a primary care provider it gave me new knowledge and perspective .It will be a first for me to create such action plans.

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