Painstaking chart review, like that done in the Harvard Medical Practice Study and the Colorado and Utah hospital study, is likely to remain the gold standard for the foreseeable future, and, as already pointed out, even this approach has its limitations. Moreover, this type of chart review is highly resource consumptive and impractical on a wide scale. For the present, we must focus on putting in place systems of known benefit rather than waiting to be guided by precise metrics of error rates. For almost 10 years, Emory Hospitals have used clinical pathways to help reduce preventable adverse events, such as pressure sores and postoperative blood clots. Protocols can help prevent these events.
Medication errors are one of the most common types of preventable adverse events.
Among these measures are the use of unit dosing, central pharmacy supply of high-risk medications, and pharmaceutical decision support. Nevertheless, because of the inherent high risks of the medication process, we are further increasing our emphasis on medication safety. This year, Emory Hospitals have designated medication safety as one of their prime performance improvement focus areas. Each department is expected to develop a performance-improvement project in this area. Wesley Woods has recently been invited to join this effort.