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High reliability perinatal units: An approach to the prevention of patient injury and medical malpractice claims
Author(s) -
Knox G. Eric,
Simpson Kathleen Rice,
Garite Thomas J.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
journal of healthcare risk management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.221
H-Index - 16
eISSN - 2040-0861
pISSN - 1074-4797
DOI - 10.1002/jhrm.5600190205
Subject(s) - malpractice , medical malpractice , perspective (graphical) , context (archaeology) , reliability (semiconductor) , patient safety , medical emergency , medicine , psychology , nursing , health care , computer science , paleontology , power (physics) , physics , quantum mechanics , artificial intelligence , economic growth , political science , law , economics , biology
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.