Medical Mishaps

* How often does medical mishap occur?
* Can we extend notions of responsibility beyond problem doctors?
* How do we improve data on the incidence, characteristics and causes of medical mishap?

This book explores what we know about the incidence, causes and aftermath of medical mishaps. Increasingly the medical profession is being expected to review the performance of doctors more rigorously and systematically and to adopt proactive approaches to the management of risk. Little is known about how often medical mishaps occur, the proportion which are preventable and the impact of the mishap on those involved. Contributors to this volume are all experts in their field who can reveal something about medical mishap puzzles from a UK and international perspective. Medical mishaps are traced from their genesis and cause through to the impact they have on doctors, patients, managers, educators and those responsible for the resolution of complaints and medical negligence disputes arising from them. This volume is unique in bringing together a number of different voices. The contributions are multi-disciplinary and report both empirical studies of these phenomena as well as the experiences of those who have to deal with medical mishaps on a day to day basis.