The World Health Organization (WHO) defines patient safety as “the prevention of errors and adverse effects associated with health care to patients” and “to do no harm to patients.”1 The Institute of Medicine (IOM) considers patient safety indistinguishable from delivering quality health care and emphasizes on the system of care delivery that prevents errors, learns from the errors that do occur, and is built on a culture of safety that involves healthcare professionals, organizations, and patients.2 Healthcare sector of the United States has seen a significant growth and progress in recent times; however, because of the error-prone environment, human or systematic errors has led to high mortality rates, and has raised the question on adequate patient safety.3 Commencing in the 1990s, investigations into the healthcare institutions worldwide have persistently identified issues concerning the safety and quality of patient care offered.4,5 In 1999, the IOM published a report “To err is human'' that ignited a concern worldwide by unveiling a startling estimation of the amount of harm caused by unsafe medical practices.6,7 It marked a crucial moment often seen as the beginning of the modern patient safety movement. The following report in 2001, titled "Crossing the Quality Chiasm," advocated utilizing information technology to revolutionize the healthcare setting and achieve improved, safer care (Fig. 1).8

Errors to patient safety in hospital setting can be broadly categorized into medical errors, mechanical errors, radiation errors, and diagnostic errors.9 Medical error has been defined as an unintended act (either of omission or commission) or one that does not achieve its intended outcome, or any deviation from the process of care that may or may not cause harm to the patient10 (Fig. 2) and it is estimated that up to 98,000 individuals lose their lives each year due to medical errors within the hospital settings. This surpasses the mortality rates attributed to motor vehicle accidents, breast cancer, or AIDS—conditions that typically attract more public focus.11 Among the medical errors, medication errors lead to an increased resource utilization due to extended stays, additional care, loss of wages and productivity, and legal actions amounting to $19 billion annually in the U.S.12,13,14

In July 2005, the Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act was passed by the president to provide for the improvement of patient safety and to reduce the incidence of events that adversely affect patient safety by authorizing the creation of Patient Safety Organizations (PSOs) which work with providers to improve quality and safety through the collection and analysis of aggregated, confidential data on patient safety events.15 Over the last two decades, there has been a broad acknowledgment and acceptance of the notion that "it's the system" – attributing hazards and harm within the healthcare domain, rather than the actions of individual providers.6 Conversely, the accountability scale tilts excessively in favor of relying solely on systemic solutions; the crucial aspect of instigating changes in individual behaviors may be overlooked.16 Whether adopting an individual or systemic standpoint on the genesis of medical errors, there is necessary to instruct clinicians in delivering safer care. “When patients are sick, they should not be further harmed by unsafe care” should be a major policy emphasis for all nations.14,17,18