More Evidence Medical Errors Are Commonly Systemic

In 1999, the Institute of Medicine published “To Err is Human:”

One of the report’s main conclusions is that the majority of medical errors do not result from individual recklessness or the actions of a particular group–this is not a “bad apple” problem. More commonly, errors are caused by faulty systems, processes, and conditions that lead people to make mistakes or fail to prevent them.

A new study from Lebanon suggests that conclusion may hold for other country’s malpractice problems as well:

Most medical errors are the result of broader failures of the country’s health care system and not individual negligence, according to an upcoming report from the American University of Beirut Faculty of Health Sciences.

The Daily Star has the story.