[Room of horrors: A low-fidelity simulation practice for patient safety-relevant hazards of hospitalization].

Introduction: Even in well-developed healthcare systems, raising awareness for undesirable dangers and risks of modern healthcare services among the clinical staff is a continuous and methodical challenge. The concept of the so-called "Room of Horrors" is both an innovative and a low-fidelity simulation approach for team-based training of patient safety-relevant hazards. The purpose of this evaluation study is to report on practicability and acceptance of such a low-threshold simulation training.

[Systematic pressure ulcer risk management.: Results of implementing multiple interventions at Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin].

Pressure ulcers impose a high burden of disease on both the affected individual and society. Demographic change and multimorbidity aggravate the problem. The present study describes the systematic implementation of a comprehensive approach to reduce the incidence of pressure ulcers in an inpatient setting.

Developing a patient safety incident classification system for primary care. A literature review and Delphi-survey by the LINNEAUS collaboration on patient safety in primary care.

Background: Despite awareness that comparative analysis of patient safety data from several data sources would promote risk reduction, there has been little effort to establish an incident classification system that is generally applicable to patient safety data in European primary care.

Objective: To describe the development of a patient safety incident classification system for primary care.

Methods: A systematic review was followed by an expert group discussion and a modified Delphi survey, to provide consensus statements.

[The German Agency for Quality in Medicine (ÄZQ) 1995-2010: 15 years promotion of evidence-based medicine, patient orientation and patient safety].

The German Agency for Quality in Medicine (ÄZQ) was established as a joint institution of the German Medical Association (BÄK) and the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KBV) in 1995. Starting as a small quality assurance co-ordination unit of the German physicians' national self-governmental bodies, ÄZQ has been developed during the last decade into a centre of excellence for clinical practice guidelines, patient information, patient safety, evidence-based medicine, and knowledge management. The article summarises the institution's acitivities over the period of 15 years with respect to its national projects and international collaboration, being a founding member of the Guidelines International Network.

[After 15 years of ÄZQ: 10 years of safety for patients].

The German Agency for Quality in Medicine (ÄZQ) has been actively addressing the topic patient safety for ten years. ÄZQ's work in the field has focused on establishing a patient safety expert circle, publishing various articles on the subject, developing a patient safety continuing education curriculum, setting up a patient safety internet forum, and participating in the WHO initiative "Action on Patient Safety: High 5s". Furthermore, "CIRSmedical.

Patient safety and error management: what causes adverse events and how can they be prevented?

Background: Even in industrialized countries, health care is not as safe as it should be. The term "patient safety" denotes the non-occurrence of adverse events and the presence of measures to prevent them.

Methods: The literature was selectively reviewed to obtain information on the epidemiology and causes of preventable adverse events (PAE), as well as on measures that can increase patient safety.

[A proposal of the medical profession for the prevention of medical errors].

In 2002 the Agency for Quality in Medicine developed an "action plan" to improve patient safety that can be summarized neatly as "Sensitize, inform, discuss and implement strategies". The following publication describes both the goals of this action plan and some of its implemented measures.

"Every error counts": a web-based incident reporting and learning system for general practice.

Background: Incident reporting systems have been established primarily in the inpatient setting. Their goal is the identification of safety risks in healthcare as a precondition for improvements in the overall quality of care. Knowledge about medical errors in general practice is sparse, as are reporting systems for patient safety in this setting.