A three-dimensional model of error and safety in surgical health care microsystems. Rationale, development and initial testing

Peter McCulloch, Ken Catchpole

Research estimates of inadvertent harm to patients undergoing modern healthcare demonstrate a serious problem. Much attention has been paid to analysis of the causes of error and harm, but researchers have typically focussed either on human interaction and communication or on systems design, without fully considering the other components. Existing models for analysing harm are principally derived from theory and the analysis of individual incidents, and their practical value is often limited by the assumption that identifying causal factors automatically suggests solutions. We suggest that new models based on observation are required to help analyse healthcare safety problems and evaluate proposed solutions. We propose such a model which is directed at "microsystem" level (Ward and operating theatre), and which frames problems and solutions within three dimensions.