Medical Microbiology and Its Impact on Patient Safety

Patient Safety emphasizes the reporting, analysis and prevention of medical errors that very often leads to adverse healthcare situations. 1 in 10 patients are impacted by medical errors. The WHO calls the patient safety issue an endemic concern. A number of well-known experts of all areas in the medical field have collected very valuable information for a better patient treatment and higher safety culture in all medical disciplines.

There is much that we know about infectious diseases antibiotic resistance bacteria, influenza outbreaks, E. coli food epidemics and hospital spread of C. difficile. No of this would exist if the diagnosis had not been made by speedy, accurate clinical laboratories. At the same time false positive and false negative results cause delay and cause harm. This book will explore how the microbiology laboratory contributes to patient safety and community care. An essential component of this discussion are the causes and impact of laboratory errors impact on patients, their families, and the communities in which they live, and importantly how laboratories can address, correct, and prevent these errors.

Auteur

Michael M. Noble, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.