Medical errors: Defining the confines of system weaknesses and human error

Notwithstanding the innovative changes in biotechnology, medical devices and other therapeutics, errors in medicine continue to cause harm to patients. Current definitions of medical error do not reflect the full reality of error causation. Medical error taxonomy is narrowly focused on system weaknesses in health institutions and human error. System weaknesses in licensing and monitoring organizations, health care suppliers, health profession self-regulation and government regulating organizations, conduct by leading health professionals and medical research industry risks, all lead to significant harm that is not recognized in medical error accountability. These players do not fulfill their mandates. Evidence demonstrates negligence, incompetence, unethical conduct and institutional interest and self-interest in the decision-making process. Both the principled approach and institutional ethics (IE) principles are powerful tools to require accountability from stakeholders.;The contemporary understanding of medical errors is deficient and unsustainable. It has not contributed to a decrease in errors. Appropriate definitions of the confines of systems weaknesses and human error are required. This thesis outlines a method to perceive medical errors in a broader way, combining the many agents of error/harm into one system, thereby highlighting accountability and paving the way for reform.