Common Medical Errors in Pediatric Emergency Medicine

Abstract

Medical errors are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in healthcare. Pediatric patients receiving care in the acute or emergency setting may be especially susceptible to medical error and subsequent harm. Here we review the most common types of medical errors in pediatric emergency medicine – those related to medication, laboratory evaluation, communication, and diagnosis. Diagnostic errors are perhaps the most common but least studied type of error, though there has been recent interest in further quantifying, characterizing and preventing such error. Active research focuses on the systems issues and cognitive biases that likely play a role in this process.