Publication Date: March 1st, 2003
Publication Type(s): Working Paper
Topic(s): Quality
Author(s): Wholey, D., Moscovice, I., Hietpas, T., Holtzman, J.
The purpose of this paper is to explore the environmental context of patient safety and medical errors with specific interest in rural settings. We review the patient safety/medical error literature, point out unique features of rural health care organizations and their environment that relate to the patient safety issue and medical errors, summarize relevant organizational theory, and conclude by discussing strategies for medical error reduction and prevention in rural health care settings.