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Millenson recalls two early studies of hospital errors but there was
at least one even earlier:
Schimmel, EM. Hazards of Hospitalization. Ann Internal Med 60: 100-110,
1964.
We published an early study of Outpatient care:
Huntley, RR, Steinhauser, RRL, White, KL et al. The Quality of Medical
Care: Techniques and Investigation in the Outpatient Clinic. J Chronic
Diseases (now J.Clinical Epidemiology)14: 630-642, 1961.
We conducted this study because those then in control of the North
Carolina Memorial Hospital and the medical establishment of the University
of North Carolina refused to allow us to study in-patient care "because
this is a university hospital and we set the standards". Although we
thought ran a tight ship as managers of the NCM Hospital's Outpatient
Cliic our study showed ample room for improvement.
And of course Sir William Petty asked nasty questions in the 17th century!
Competing interests:
No competing interests
27 April 2002
Kerr L. White
Retired from Rockefeller Foundation
250 Pantops Mountain Rd., Charlottesville Va 22911
An Earlier Hospital Error Study
Millenson recalls two early studies of hospital errors but there was
at least one even earlier:
Schimmel, EM. Hazards of Hospitalization. Ann Internal Med 60: 100-110,
1964.
We published an early study of Outpatient care:
Huntley, RR, Steinhauser, RRL, White, KL et al. The Quality of Medical
Care: Techniques and Investigation in the Outpatient Clinic. J Chronic
Diseases (now J.Clinical Epidemiology)14: 630-642, 1961.
We conducted this study because those then in control of the North
Carolina Memorial Hospital and the medical establishment of the University
of North Carolina refused to allow us to study in-patient care "because
this is a university hospital and we set the standards". Although we
thought ran a tight ship as managers of the NCM Hospital's Outpatient
Cliic our study showed ample room for improvement.
And of course Sir William Petty asked nasty questions in the 17th century!
Competing interests: No competing interests