Understanding patient safety / Robert M. Wachter.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

The nature and frequency of medical errors and adverse events -- Basic principles of patient safety -- Safety versus quality--Medication errors -- Surgical errors -- Diagnostic errors -- Human factors and errors at the person-machine interface -- Transition and handoff errors -- Teamwork and communcation errors -- Nosocomial infections -- Other complications of healthcare -- Patient safety in the ambulatory setting -- Information technology -- Reporting systems, incident investigations, and other methods of understanding safety issues -- Creating a culture of safety -- Workforce issues -- Training issues -- The malpractice system -- Accountability -- Law and regulations -- The role of patients -- Organizing a safety program.