Scandal as a sentinel event recognizing hidden cost quality trade-offs. | AHRQ Patient Safety Network

Scandal as a sentinel event recognizing hidden cost quality trade-offs. | AHRQ Patient Safety Network

Editorial draws parallels in Department of Veterans Affairs and UK Mid Staffordshire scandals; finds need to reflect on cost-quality tradeoffs.
N Engl J Med. 2016;374:1001-1003.

• Commentary
 
• Published March 2016

Scandal as a sentinel event—recognizing hidden cost–quality trade-offs.

Bloche MG. N Engl J Med. 2016;374:1001-1003.

Latent factors are known to contribute to system-level failures. This commentary discusses theMid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust inquiry and the Veterans Affairs health system investigation as examples of how executive expectations to meet performance targets and insufficient safety culture led to unintended consequences and system failures.

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