When Patients Speak—Collaboration in Patient Safety

T he patient is one of the most important allies in reducing medical errors. Research indicates that when patients actively participate in their overall healthcare management, medical errors are reduced. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) reports have supported this concept, as well. To Err is Human: Building a Safer Health System not only reported that as many as 98,000 deaths occur annually due to medical errors, but also indicated that poor physicianpatient communication was one of the root causes. The next IOM report, Crossing the Quality Chasm: A New Health System in the 21 Century, encouraged patients to exercise control of healthcare decisions by using a shared decision-making process with their physicians, with the goal of improving the quality of care. In its most recent report, Patient Safety: Achieving a New Standard of Care, the IOM suggested that “patient safety programs...invite the participation of patients and their families and be responsive to their inquiries.”