Medical Microbiology and Its Impact on Patient Safety

New Series: Patient Safety Medical errors do not only occur in the laboratory, but pose a direct threat to patient safety. The clinical laboratory is an integral part of care, and the results of analytics are an essential component of informed decision-making for clinicians. Efforts to avoid laboratory errors, especially minimizing pre- and postanalytical errors, are in the responsibility of laboratory professionals.The new handbook series with the international known editors Oswald Sonntag and Mario Plebani fills a vacancy in the relevant and promising area of patient safety and quality assurance.

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There is much that we know about infectious diseases antibiotic resistance bacteria, influenza outbreaks, E. coli food epidemics and hospital spread of C. difficile. No of this would exist if the diagnosis had not been made by speedy, accurate clinical laboratories. At the same time false positive and false negative results cause delay and cause harm.  This book will explore how the microbiology laboratory contributes to patient safety and community care. An essential component of this discussion are the causes and impact of laboratory errors impact on patients, their families, and the communities in which they live, and importantly how laboratories can address, correct, and prevent these errors.