High reliability perinatal units: An approach to the prevention of patient injury and medical malpractice claims
✍ Scribed by G. Eric Knox; Kathleen Rice Simpson; Thomas J. Garite
- Publisher
- Wiley (John Wiley & Sons)
- Year
- 1999
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 611 KB
- Volume
- 19
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 1074-4797
No coin nor oath required. For personal study only.
✦ Synopsis
Abstract
Perinatal units differ in their ability to prevent patient injury and medical malpractice litigation. Obstetrical units with favorable performance are distinguished by common organizational and clinical features. Organizationally, they resemble what behavioral scientists define as “high‐reliability organizations” (i.e., the ability to operate technologically complex systems essentially without error over long periods). Clinically, practices are based on nationally recognized guidelines and/or an operational philosophy of “safety first.” These organizational and clinical features are described so that physicians, nurses, and administrators might view their own clinical environments in the context of this perspective.