Error management - comparisons with medicine.

[Wig Wag]

I found the following fascinating article in the British Medical Journal regarding error management in aviation and its applicability to medicine.

I qoute the article:

'surveys confirm that pilots and doctors have common interpersonal problem areas and similarities in professional culture.'

Its not a new topic but it would seem that medicine is starting to learn from aviation practices. The article is particularly interesting if you believe that your company culture has come unsafe aspects. I.E. management attitude or bad rostering practices.

http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/320/7237/781?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=AVIATION&searchid=QID_NOT_SET&stored_search=&FIRSTINDEX=&fdate=1/1/2000

[Clive]

Wig Wag,

You might find it interesting to know that Prof. Reason in the UK and Dr. Helmreich in the US are doing a lot of work on this issue.

In Australia there now exists a "CRM for Surgeons" course. A group of Doctors and an ex Qantas captain (Capt. Wynne) have spent the last 18 months or so devising the programme. They have Hospitals and Govt. departments on side and it looks as though this concept of Resource Management training for Medicos will grow.

Not before time according to my wife (a theatre nurse). If flightdecks were run in the way some operating theatres are run the accident rate in aviation would send everyone back to the horse and cart.

A very interesting article on the error production in hospitals and their relation to errors in aviation was printed in the Australian Civil Aviatin Safety Authorities (CASA) flight safety magazine about 2 months ago. It was an edited version of a presentation by Prof. Reason at the Aviation Pshycology Symposium at Manly in Sydney late last year.

Hope this was of interest to you.

Cheers. :)


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Life is what happens to you while you make plans - enjoy it!

[Wig Wag]

Thanks Clive.

Some years ago I met Prof James Reason socially and he indicated that human factors would become an issue in medicine. I wondered if his predictions would find fruition. It is pleasing to think that aviaiton, being a young profession, has learned something that might be of use to medicine.

Re the "CRM for Surgeons" course I shall try and find out more. Its a really interesting thought that the patient death rate could be reduced by sending medical staff on CRM type courses.