Obstetrics Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Obstetrics, including details on caesarean delivery, child birth, labour.

Error reduction and quality assurance in obstetrics.

Grunebaum A

New York Weill Cornell Medical College, 525 East 86th Street, Suite J-130, New York, NY 10065, USA.

This article outlines an approach to improve patient safety in obstetrics and gynecology, with the goal to reduce errors in labor and delivery. Every institution should create guidelines and provide education and training to address potential safety issues such as fetal heart rate pattern interpretation, induction and stimulation of labor, vaginal birth after cesarean, magnesium sulfate, shoulder dystocia, hemorrhage, forceps/vacuum, and thromboembolic disease. This article discusses the patient safety objectives published by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Committee on Quality Improvement and Patient Safety; the National Patient Safety Goals, which are regularly established by the Joint Committee on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations; and patient safety indicators developed by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

Published 3 September 2007 in Clin Perinatol, 34(3): 489-502.
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