PRIORITIZING PATIENT SAFETY IN CARDIOLOGY PROCEDURES

Abstract

The eye opening report, 'To Err is Human' by National Institute of Medicine in 2011 revealed that more than 90,000 persons succumb to medical errors in USA alone, incurring a cost of 8-9 billion dollars. The number of deaths reported claims a higher mortality than deaths due to accidents on roads, breast cancers 1 2,3 and AIDS. Similar scenario was painted by other reports. WHO declared patient safety as a priority in 2002. Most medical students, even trained in developed 4-7 countries, admit to inadequate exposure to the concept of patient safety. Some of the developed countries have included 'patient safety' in their medical curriculum. But there is a wide variation between the content, time allocated from 4 hours to 30 hours, modes of instruction consisting of eight formats and method 8 of evaluation. WHO has formulated guidelines for medical curriculum consisting often modules. One of the modules is dedicated to patient safety in invasive 9 procedures. In conclusion, in the modern cardiology there is potential of great patient benefit employing non-invasive investigations for maximal information on disease pathology and still broader prospects of patient benefit utilizing newer technique and devices for improving patient symptoms and outlook. Patient safety must be considered as the first priority and this should be ingrained in undergraduate medical curriculum but more importantly in Cardiology postgraduate fellowships as an integral part of 13 training.