Preventing Medical Errors in the Healthcare Setting

Medical errors may result from communication breakdowns, diagnostic errors, poor judgment, and inadequate skills, with subsequent clinical outcomes rangingfrom the patient's decreased function to death. Significant evidence confirms that preventable patient harm is a seriousproblem across many medical care settings in the US as well as in other countries. For example, one study cited that at least one in 20 patients are affected by preventable patientharm in medical care setting. This course initially covers prevalence, types, and rates of medical errors in healthcare. It will be followed by applications of such information for therapists to prevent medical errors, to include policies, and strategies to prevent such errors in patient care across allsettings.

Target Audience: Physical Therapists, Physical Therapist Assistants, Occupational Therapists, Occupational Therapy Assistants, Speech-Language Pathologists

Highlights

• Identify common significant incidence, prevalence, and types of preventable medical errors in the U.S.
• Integrate strategies to prevent medical errors in clinical practice across all settings