Medical Liability And Patient Safety

Authors:
  • DBDonald M. Berwick
    Donald M. Berwick
  • TNThomas W. Nolan
    Thomas W. Nolan
  • JWJohn Whittington
    John Whittington
  • NANancy E. Adler
    Nancy E. Adler
  • KNKatherine Newman
    Katherine Newman
  • DADrew E. Altman
    Drew E. Altman
  • DMDouglas H. Morgan
    Douglas H. Morgan
  • MNMary D. Naylor
    Mary D. Naylor
  • EKEllen T. Kurtzman
    Ellen T. Kurtzman
  • JNJack Needleman
    Jack Needleman
  • SHSusan Hassmiller
    Susan Hassmiller
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Abstract
Political debate over medical malpractice reform seldom takes meaningful account of its policy context, including the emerging science of patient safety. Instead, stakeholders on both sides use the rhetoric of patient safety to support entrenched positions on hardened proposals such as capping damages and limiting access to information about errors. Despite its déjà vu quality, the current malpractice crisis can only be understood and addressed as the product of changes in the health care system since the last crisis nearly twenty years ago—changes that also informed the patient safety movement. Patient safety may therefore serve as a bridge between medical liability and health policy.

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