ENTtoday

Patient Safety: It’s Not Rocket Science

by Elizabeth Hofheinz, MPH, MEd •

Take-Home Points

  • Patient safety measures require a proactive systems-based approach and stronger preventive strategies.
  • The focus in patient safety should be on appropriate tools that shape culture, and not on blind robotic compliance.
  • The emphasis should be on learning and not on accountability.
  • The healthcare system needs to identify barriers to reporting “close calls.”