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Study: Definition of ’errors’ can undermine satisfaction

Healthcare Strategist Trend Watch, December 22, 2006

A patient's opinion of what constitutes a medical error is much broader than traditional clinical definitions, and includes communication problems, long response times, and falls, according to a study released by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO). The study examined the opinions of more than 1,600 patients at 12 Midwestern hospitals, according to a JCAHO release.

The study found a strong link between a patient's concerns about medical errors and his or her satisfaction with the entire healthcare experience. A single patient concern about a medical error was tied to a significantly reduced likelihood that the patient would return to the same healthcare facility for care, according to the release.

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