Clinical risk modification, quality, and patient safety: interrelationships, problems, and future potential.

Abstract

Iatrogenic injury, in which patients are unintentionally injured by medical treatment, occurs in 4% of hospital admissions and causes considerable human suffering, financial losses, and waste of healthcare resources. This article discusses why existing quality initiatives have had little impact on iatrogenic injury and suggests an approach to clinical risk modification that may enhance the safety of medical treatment.