Research that cuts across the disciplines and fosters the integration of ideas.
Published in Chapter:
Interprofessionality: A Pathway to a More Sustainable National Healthcare System
Chidiebele Constance Obichi (Indiana University Northwest, USA), April D. Newton (Indiana University, USA), and Ukamaka Marian Oruche (Indiana University, USA)
Copyright: © 2020
|Pages: 20
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-7998-2949-2.ch009
Abstract
Preventable medical errors (PME) is the third leading cause of death in the United States with an incidence range of 210,000 to 400,000 deaths per year and an estimated cost of $19.5 billion to $958 billion per year. Despite advances in patient safety, PME persists across the nation. An unmarked extremity, a soft sponge, medication dose, poor communication, etc. are possible precursors of PME that may lead to death. Preventable medical errors such as wrong-patient or wrong-site surgery, botched transplants, and death from myocardial infarction or septic shock following a discharge from the emergency department are frequently reported. According to the Institute of Medicine, most PME in the healthcare system are caused by poor team collaboration and care coordination, particularly when patient care was provided by independent providers. Therefore, the healthcare workforce must work within interprofessional teams for safe, cost-effective, and quality care delivery significant to sustainable healthcare reform.