Ed Med

Experts estimate that as many as 98,000 people die in any given year from medical errors that occur in hospitals. That's more than die from motor vehicle accidents, breast cancer, or AIDSâ€"three causes that receive far more public attention. Indeed, more people die annually from medication errors than from workplace injuries. Add the financial cost to the human tragedy, and medical error easily rises to the top ranks of urgent, widespread public problems. To Err Is Human breaks the silence that has surrounded medical errors and their consequenceâ€"but not by pointing fingers at caring health care professionals who make honest mistakes. After all, to err is human. Instead, this book sets forth a national agendaâ€"with state and local implicationsâ€"for reducing medical errors and improving patient safety through the design of a safer health system. This volume reveals the often startling statistics of medical error and the disparity between the incidence of error and public perception of it, given many patients' expectations that the medical profession always performs perfectly. A careful examination is made of how the surrounding forces of legislation, regulation, and market activity influence the quality of care provided by health care organizations and then looks at their handling of medical mistakes. Using a detailed case study, the book reviews the current understanding of why these mistakes happen. A key theme is that legitimate liability concerns discourage reporting of errorsâ€"which begs the question, "How can we learn from our mistakes?" Balancing regulatory versus market-based initiatives and public versus private efforts, the Institute of Medicine presents wide-ranging recommendations for improving patient safety, in the areas of leadership, improved data collection and analysis, and development of effective systems at the level of direct patient care. To Err Is Human asserts that the problem is not bad people in health careâ€"it is that good people are working in bad systems that need to be made safer. Comprehensive and straightforward, this book offers a clear prescription for raising the level of patient safety in American health care. It also explains how patients themselves can influence the quality of care that they receive once they check into the hospital. This book will be vitally important to federal, state, and local health policy makers and regulators, health professional licensing officials, hospital administrators, medical educators and students, health caregivers, health journalists, patient advocatesâ€"as well as patients themselves. First in a series of publications from the Quality of Health Care in America, a project initiated by the Institute of Medicine

Confidently diagnose, treat, and manage patient conditions with the only comprehensive book on the market devoted solely to equine internal medicine. Filled with fully updated content on principles of treatment and contributions from internationally known equine experts, Equine Internal Medicine, 4th Edition focuses on the basic pathophysiologic mechanisms that underlie the development of various equine diseases. A problem-based approach outlines how to apply the latest clinical evidence directly to the conditions you will encounter in practice. A new companion website with over 120 video clips presents diseases and disorders that cannot be explained as well through words Updated information throughout, including the most recent drug information. Current and well-referenced content on equine diseases and treatment techniques cites the latest books and journals. Internationally known equine experts present information on problems affecting horses throughout the world — and provide contributions that enable practitioners and students to approach disease and treatment of equine patients with more authority and understanding. User-friendly exterior and interior design makes the book appealing to both the equine internal medicine practitioner and the veterinary student. Easy-to-find information facilitates a more thorough understanding with minimal frustration. Organized and consistent coverage among chapters allows you to easily find information on a specific topic. NEW! Fully updated and revised sections on disorders and principles of treatment. NEW! Problem-based approach outlines how to apply the latest clinical evidence directly to the conditions you will encounter in practice. NEW! Pathophysiology is emphasized throughout, providing a sound basis for discussions of the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis that follow. NEW! Body systems chapters begin with a thorough discussion of the diagnostic method appropriate to the system, including physical examination, clinical pathology, radiography, endoscopy, and ultrasonography. NEW and UNIQUE! Companion website includes more than 120 video clips linked to content from chapters on cardiovascular and neurologic system disorders. NEW! Flow charts, diagrams, and algorithms clarify complex material.

Second in a series of publications from the Institute of Medicine's Quality of Health Care in America project Today's health care providers have more research findings and more technology available to them than ever before. Yet recent reports have raised serious doubts about the quality of health care in America. Crossing the Quality Chasm makes an urgent call for fundamental change to close the quality gap. This book recommends a sweeping redesign of the American health care system and provides overarching principles for specific direction for policymakers, health care leaders, clinicians, regulators, purchasers, and others. In this comprehensive volume the committee offers: A set of performance expectations for the 21st century health care system. A set of 10 new rules to guide patient-clinician relationships. A suggested organizing framework to better align the incentives inherent in payment and accountability with improvements in quality. Key steps to promote evidence-based practice and strengthen clinical information systems. Analyzing health care organizations as complex systems, Crossing the Quality Chasm also documents the causes of the quality gap, identifies current practices that impede quality care, and explores how systems approaches can be used to implement change.

The “essential” companion to the landmark Users' Guides to the Medical Literature - completely revised and updated! 5 STAR DOODY'S REVIEW! "This second edition is even better than the original. Information is easier to find and the additional resources that will be available at www.JAMAevidence.com will provide readers with a one-stop source for evidence-based medicine."--Doody's Review Service Evidence-based medicine involves the careful interpretation of medical studies and its clinical application. And no resource helps you do it better-and faster-than Users' Guides to the Medical Literature: Essentials of Evidence-Based Clinical Practice. This streamlined reference distills the most clinically-relevant coverage from the parent Users' Guide Manual into one highly-focused, portable resource. Praised for its clear explanations of detailed statistical and mathematical principles, The Essentials concisely covers all the basic concepts of evidence-based medicine--everything you need to deliver optimal patient care. It's a perfect at-a-glance source for busy clinicians and students, helping you distinguish between solid medical evidence and poor medical evidence, tailor evidence-based medicine for each patient, and much more. Now in its second edition, this carry-along quick reference is more clinically relevant--and more essential--than ever! FEATURES Completely revised and updated with all new coverage of the basic issues in evidence-based medicine in patient care Abundant real-world examples drawn from the medical literature are woven throughout, and include important related principles and pitfalls in using clinical research in patient care decisions Edited by over 60 internationally recognized editors and contributors from around the globe Also look for JAMAevidence.com, a new interactive database for the best practice of evidence based medicine.

Advances in medical, biomedical and health services research have reduced the level of uncertainty in clinical practice. Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) complement this progress by establishing standards of care backed by strong scientific evidence. CPGs are statements that include recommendations intended to optimize patient care. These statements are informed by a systematic review of evidence and an assessment of the benefits and costs of alternative care options. Clinical Practice Guidelines We Can Trust examines the current state of clinical practice guidelines and how they can be improved to enhance healthcare quality and patient outcomes. Clinical practice guidelines now are ubiquitous in our healthcare system. The Guidelines International Network (GIN) database currently lists more than 3,700 guidelines from 39 countries. Developing guidelines presents a number of challenges including lack of transparent methodological practices, difficulty reconciling conflicting guidelines, and conflicts of interest. Clinical Practice Guidelines We Can Trust explores questions surrounding the quality of CPG development processes and the establishment of standards. It proposes eight standards for developing trustworthy clinical practice guidelines emphasizing transparency; management of conflict of interest ; systematic review-guideline development intersection; establishing evidence foundations for and rating strength of guideline recommendations; articulation of recommendations; external review; and updating. Clinical Practice Guidelines We Can Trust shows how clinical practice guidelines can enhance clinician and patient decision-making by translating complex scientific research findings into recommendations for clinical practice that are relevant to the individual patient encounter, instead of implementing a one size fits all approach to patient care. This book contains information directly related to the work of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), as well as various Congressional staff and policymakers. It is a vital resource for medical specialty societies, disease advocacy groups, health professionals, private and international organizations that develop or use clinical practice guidelines, consumers, clinicians, and payers.

Containing a retrospective view of every discovery and practical improvement in the medical sciences, abstracted from the current medical journals of the United States and Canada.