Preventing Medical Errors For Allied Health Professionals

Needs statement
The 1999 Institute of Medicine report To Err is Human: Building a Safer Health System brought prominence to the issue of medical error in the US. Since that time multiple activities at various levels of private and regulatory arenas have targeted identification and resolution of medical error. The process is dynamic and health professionals need education of error reduction techniques so as to improve safety in their professional activities and work setting. Some regulatory agencies require specific medical error education for licensure or re-licensure of health professionals.

Course goals
This educational monograph addresses the identification, reporting, monitoring and reduction of medical error. It is intended to make participants aware of the magnitude of the problem, of the many-leveled activities needed to resolve it, and the importance of each person’s role in the national effort to reduce medical errors.

Target audience
This course is designed for allied health professionals in all settings of the healthcare industry.

Learning objectives
At the completion of this course, the learner should be able to:
-Recognize the magnitude and far reaching effects of medical error;
-Categorize factors contributing to the occurrence of medical error;
-Describe the healthcare professional’s role in identifying error prone situations;
-Explain the importance of reporting medical error;
-Specify at least two recommended practice modifications to promote safety and reduce the incidence of medical error;
-Review the processes of root cause analysis and failure mode and effects analysis when analyzing error.

Method of Participation
In order to receive credit, participants should read the entire monograph, complete and submit an evaluation and score at least 70% on the self-assessment test. AKH Inc. allows for one (1) re-test at no additional charge; additional re-tests must be purchased again at the full cost. Statements of Credit will be available upon successful completion of the self-assessment test. If you have questions about this CME/CE activity, please contact AKH Inc. at service@akhcme.com.

Disclosure Declaration
It is the policy of AKH Inc. to ensure independence, balance, objectivity, scientific rigor, and integrity in all of its continuing education activities. The faculty must disclose to the participants any significant relationships with commercial interests whose products or devices may be mentioned in the activity or with the commercial supporter of this continuing education activity. Identified conflict of interest is resolved by AKH prior to accreditation of the activity. AKH planners and reviewers have no relevant financial relationships to disclose.

Disclosure of Unlabeled Use and Investigational Products
This educational activity does not include discussion of uses of agents that are investigational and/or unapproved by the FDA. Please refer to the official prescribing information for each product for discussion of approved indications, contraindications, and warnings.

Disclaimer
AKH Inc.ís activities are designed solely to provide healthcare professionals with information to assist in their practice and professional development. The activities are researched thoroughly, utilizing current literature and including practical experiences. AKHís activities are not to be considered a diagnostic tool to replace professional advice or treatment. The activities serve as a general guide to the healthcare professional, and therefore, they cannot be considered as giving legal, nursing, medical, or other professional advice in specific cases. AKH educational activities do not endorse commercial products. The author(s) and the publisher specifically disclaim responsibility for any adverse consequences resulting directly or indirectly from information in the activities. AKH further disclaims any responsibility for undetected errors, or from the readerís misunderstanding of the activity.

Copyright © 2014 AKH Inc., Advancing Knowledge in Healthcare No part of this publication may be produced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher.