In his Center Voices column in the March issue of Trustee magazine, Sanjaya Kumar reflects on writing Fatal Care: Survive in the U.S. Health System and discusses what it means for patients, providers and boards.

It's a timely discussion; over the past three years several highly publicized medical errors involving Heparin administration again focused a spotlight on problems with quality of care and patient safety in our nation's hospitals. "I wrote Fatal Care in an effort to help patients, families and healthcare professionals understand, in a human and very intimate way, the devastating impact of preventable medical errors and to protect those whom they love and serve," says Kumar, M.D. president and chief medical officer of Quantros, Inc. and author of Fatal Care.

Kumar's book documents the personal stories of victims and others involved in the tragedies that result from medical errors and other adverse events. He advocates that patients, providers and hospital leaders, including trustees, must be aware of and vigilant about the risks involved in hospital care. He also encourages hospital executives and boards to demand better care and to provide those who deliver it with the resources and tools needed to do so.

Fatal Care also was written to assure consumers that the vast majority of health care providers not only have a genuine concern about providing quality, safe care but are also actively working to improve it. That said, Kumar suggests several high-priority actions that can be taken to drive positive change. These include better cataloguing of errors in a standardized format, increased access to shared knowledge for cross-industry learning and use of evidence-based practices. He also encourages patients and families to become an active, integral part of the hospital care they receive.

To learn more about and obtain copies of Fatal Care, visit the Center's online store at www.americangovernance.com. To view archived Center Voices articles, members can use the link below.

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