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Historical perspective: Patient safety

Medical Staff Leader Connection, August 12, 2004

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Dear Medical Staff Leader:

The healthcare industry's focus on patient safety certainly increased with the release of the Institute of Medicine's 1999 report that estimated nearly 98,000 hospitalized patients die each year as a result of medical errors. However, patient safety has long been a concern of innovative healthcare professionals such as Earnest A. Codman.

In 1916 Codman, a famous surgeon, was considered "eccentric" and temporarily ostracized from organized medicine for publicly stating that to improve care hospitals must

-find out what their results are
-analyze their results to find their strong and week points
-compare their results with those of other hospitals
-care for cases that they can care for well and avoid cases for which they are unqualified to care for well
-assign cases to members of the staff for treatment for better reasons than seniority, the calendar, or temporary convenience
-welcome publicity not only for their successes but for their errors so that the public can give them help when it is needed
-promote members of the staff on a basis that gives due consideration to what they can and do accomplish for their patients

Codman asserted that his opinions would not be considered "eccentric a few years hence." Unfortunately Codman's statements, which encourage physicians and hospitals to analyze patient outcomes and results, are still deemed eccentric by some hospitals 88 years later.

Take a good look at the bulleted items above and consider their applicability in light of current events and trends.

That's all for this week.

All the best,

Hugh Greeley
http://www.greeley.com/seminars'>http://www.greeley.com/seminars/">http://www.greeley.com/seminars

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