Patient Safety

Abstract

Patient safety is receiving increased attention worldwide. Error and other adverse events occur regularly in health care settings, but the causes, frequency, severity, preventability, and impact of these events on patient outcomes are not completely understood. As the epidemiology and causes of adverse events become better known, it will become possible to fi nd the solutions that are most likely to reduce harm. In this article, a brief critical overview of literature on adverse events and patient safety was presented on the basis of the epidemiology for lesson learned and improvement of patient safety, in addition to some key concepts for future study.

Key words: Patient safety, Adverse event, Health care system