Expert panel on weight loss surgery: executive report update.

Rapid shifts in the demographics and techniques of weight loss surgery (WLS) have led to new issues, new data, new concerns, and new challenges. In 2004, this journal published comprehensive evidence-based guidelines on WLS. In this issue, we've updated those guidelines to assure patient safety in this fast-changing field.

Comparing patient-reported hospital adverse events with medical record review: do patients know something that hospitals do not?

Background: Hospitals routinely survey patients about the quality of care they receive, but little is known about whether patient interviews can detect adverse events that medical record reviews do not.

Objective: To compare adverse events reported in postdischarge patient interviews with adverse events detected by medical record review.

Design: Random sample survey.

Reconciling medications at admission: safe practice recommendations and implementation strategies.

Background: Fifty hospitals collaborated in a patient safety initiative developed and implemented by the Massachusetts Coalition for the Prevention of Medical Errors and the Massachusetts Hospital Association.

Methods: A consensus group identified safe practices and suggested implementation strategies. Four collaborative learning sessions were offered, and teams monitored their progress and shared successful strategies and lessons learned.

Error reporting and disclosure systems: views from hospital leaders.

Context: The Institute of Medicine has recommended establishing mandatory error reporting systems for hospitals and other health settings.

Objective: To examine the opinions and experiences of hospital leaders with state reporting systems.

Design And Setting: Survey of chief executive and chief operating officers (CEOs/COOs) from randomly selected hospitals in 2 states with mandatory reporting and public disclosure, 2 states with mandatory reporting without public disclosure, and 2 states without mandatory systems in 2002-2003.