This chapter discusses the media's outcry about medical errors and briefly discusses the Institute of Medicine's (IOM) report of 1999 on medical errors. The chapter gives the summary of the Congressional hearings which resulted from the IOM report. It includes the testimonies of:

Christine K. Cassel, M.D. of Mount Sinai School of Medicine.

Michael Langberg, M.D. of Cedar-Sinai Health System, Los Angeles testifying on behalf of the American Hospital Association (AHA) which includes 5,000 hospitals.

Thomas R. Reardon, M.D. President of American Medical Association.

James P. Bagian, M.D. Director, National Center for Patient Safety, Veteran Health Administration.

Kenneth W. Kizer, M.D. President, National Quality Forum for Health Care Measurement and Reporting.

Dennis S. O'Leary, M.D. President, Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations.

William S. Golden, M.D., President of the American Health Quality Association.

John M. Eisenberg, M.D., Chairman of the Quality Interagency Coordination Task Force (QuIC) and Director of   Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).

This chapter discusses the medical model of clinical diagnosis and treatment using - - - The journey of a dying heart which discusses different multidisciplinary medical professionals involved with patient treatment. The model includes the diagnosis, treatment and the management of congestive heart failure as a prototype disease. It is this medical model that is missing from many of the Congressional hearings after the IOM report and the media hype. The news media does not understand the complexity of medical treatment and management. Sensational journalism about medical errors orchestrated a lot of emotions but precluded the public from a balanced education about the clinical treatment of a patient. The chapter gives an average person and some health care professionals information about the crucial roles played by different medical professionals in patient treatments and care.

This chapter discusses different problems many hospitals and health delivery systems may face in the future and how to avoid them. The health care system is going through an evolution of many changes. It is therefore very important for institutions to anticipate those changes and be prepared for any eventuality.

Years ago, institutions and medical workers only worried about civil suits when a medical error occurred. The public is growing very intolerant of negligence in patient treatment. Some organizations are already calling to make medical errors very costly for institutions to force the implementation of safe compliance. In addition to civil liability, some health care workers are facing criminal prosecutions due to medical errors. Will physicians, hospital administrators or health care workers face more criminal prosecutions in the future due to criminal negligence? Read the cases of some health care professionals currently facing such an ordeal! Then, ask yourself whether you should take the issue of medical errors seriously in your own institution.

This chapter also deals with critical future issues for hospitals which include: