Understanding Medical Errors: What Family Physicians Think
Author Information
Author(s): Nancy C Elder, Harini Pallerla, Saundra Regan
Primary Institution: University of Cincinnati
Hypothesis
How do family physicians define and perceive medical errors?
Conclusion
Family physicians lack a consensus on what constitutes a medical error, indicating a need for further study.
Supporting Evidence
- 100% of physicians agreed that overlooking an abnormal result is an error.
- Only 47% felt that a broken blood tube was an error.
- Physicians' definitions of error vary widely, with 25 different definitions identified.
Takeaway
Doctors sometimes disagree on what counts as a mistake in medicine, and this can make it hard to report errors.
Methodology
A systematic literature review and qualitative analysis of survey results from family physicians and experts.
Potential Biases
Responses may be influenced by personal interpretations of what constitutes an error.
Limitations
The survey response rate was low, which may limit the generalizability of the results.
Participant Demographics
The sample included active members of the AAFP, with a response rate of 28.5%.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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