AOA Seeks to Identify and Prevent Common Physician Errors

7/22/2003

From: Kelletta Blackburn of the American Osteopathic Association, 800-621-1773, ext. 8045 or 312-202-8040

CHICAGO, Ill., July 22 -- In an effort to improve patient safety, osteopathic physicians (D.O.s) and osteopathic medical students at the American Osteopathic Association's (AOA) annual House of Delegates meeting voted develop strategies to identify and prevent common errors in patient care that occur in physician offices.

The AOA believes that because there is a lace of information available to health care providers about common errors, its decision is an important first step to improving patient safety and health status while reducing health care costs. To enforce its decision, the AOA will educate and provide information to all D.O.s about common errors and their prevention.

The AOA's House of Delegates, comprised of more than 500 D.O.s and osteopathic medical students from across the country, meets annually in July to set organizational policies and elect new officers.

The AOA represents approximately 49,000 D.O.s, promotes public health, encourages scientific research, serves as the primary certifying body for D.O.s, and is the accrediting agency for all osteopathic medical colleges and health care facilities.