據估計,全球在2013年有142,000人因醫療疏失而致死的案例;在1990年因此死亡的人數為94,000人。[1]根據約翰·霍普金斯大學在2016年5月發表的一篇報告,美國每年至少有25萬人因為醫療疏失而死亡。[10]美國國家醫學研究所(英語:National Academy of Medicine)在2000年發表的一份報告,在美國的醫院中,由於醫療疏失導致每年估計有44,000至98,000例原本可預防的死亡,以及1,000,000例的超額傷害。[11][12][13]在英國,一項在2000年所做的研究顯示,估計每年發生850,000次醫療疏失,造成的損失超過20億英鎊。[14]
非營利組織聯合委員會(英語:Joint Commission)發表的《 2007年品質和安全年度報告(Annual Report on Quality and Safety 2007)》發現在醫療衛生提供者之間,或者是提供者與患者及其家庭成員之間的溝通不足,就佔醫院發生嚴重疏失原因的五成以上。[42]其他重要原因還有對患者狀況評估不足,還有領導能力或者是訓練不佳。
雖然美國國家醫學研究所所屬的美國醫療品質委員會(Committee on Quality of Health Care in America)在其2000年的出版品中認為醫療疏失是"醫學學習過程中無可避免的結果" [81],但是到2019年,醫事學生開立處方的熟練度和他們在臨床實習(英語:Clinical clerkship)的進度該建立如何的關聯,仍無資料顯示已經達成。[82]
傳統上,由於個人犯錯,犯錯者會受到懲罰。常見應對和防止特定疏失的方法是在系統中的特定節點施以額外的檢查,有任何發現和處理的細節均要記錄。例如,使用自由流動靜脈注射肝素出現錯誤時,教學人員會教導如何使用靜脈注射系統,並在設定靜脈輸液泵時給予特別注意。雖然總體錯誤的可能因此降低,但是工作量會因需要檢查而增加,而工作量本身又可能會產生其他的錯誤。在一些醫院,會定期召開發病率和死亡率會議(英語:Morbidity and mortality conference),討論併發症或死亡情況,從中學習,或是共同對整體流程做改善。
藥物專業人員對在開立處方、調製、配藥、和給藥過程中出錯的原因做廣泛的研究。早在1930年代,藥劑師就與醫生合作,挑選出最安全,最有效的藥物。[115]這種做法稱為配方表系統(Formulary System),藥品清單稱為配方表。在1960年代,醫院開始實施劑型和單位劑量配送系統,以減少施用在住院患者藥物和劑量錯誤的風險;[116]集中式無菌混合服務把靜脈注射藥物受到污染和感染的風險降低; [117][118]由藥劑師直接提供藥物資訊和臨床決策支援給醫生,改善用藥的安全與效果。[119]藥劑師是公認的藥物安全專家,在過去50年中為減少錯誤和改善護理做出許多貢獻。最近,美國政府正嘗試採用澳大利亞政府的《高品質使用藥物政策(英語:Quality use of medicines)》等措施,來解決患者與藥劑師間的溝通和消費知識傳授事項。
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