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Book and Media Review

Kathleen Ahern Gould, PhD, RN

REPORT IN BRIEF 1. Facilitate more effective teamwork in the diagnostic process among health care professionals, patients, and Institute of Medicine. Improving Diagnosis in their families. Health Care. September 2015. 2. Enhance health care professional education and train- Quality Chasm Series ing in the diagnostic process. Improving Diagnosis 3. Ensure that health information technologies support in Health Care is the most patients and health care professionals in the diagnos- recent report, released tic process. September 22, 2015, from 4. Develop and deploy approaches to identify, learn from, the Institute of Medicine. and reduce diagnostic errors and near misses in clinical This report is a continua- practice. tion of the landmark In- 5. Establish a work system and culture that supports the diagnostic process and improvements in diagnostic stitute of Medicine reports performance. To Err Is Human: Build- 6. Develop a reporting environment and medical liability ing a Safer Health System system that facilitates improved diagnosis through (2000) and Crossing the learning from diagnostic errors and near misses. Quality Chasm: A New 7. Design a payment and care delivery environment that Health System for the supports the diagnostic process. 21st Century (2001). 8. Provide dedicated funding for research on the diag- The first 2 reports from the Institute of Medi- nostic process and diagnostic errors. cine alerted the public and united medical professional to improve health care by eliminating errors and Specific recommendations are anchored to each goal making health care safer. The current report illuminates within the report. a new threat, yet inspires action as it states, ‘‘Improving Without a dedicated focus on improving diagnosis, diagnostic errors will likely worsen as the delivery of health the diagnostic process is not only possible, but also care and the diagnostic process continue to increase in represents a moral, professional, and public health complexity. Just as the diagnostic process is a collaborative imperative.’’ activity, improving diagnosis will require collaboration and This report looks at diagnostic error from the patient’s a widespread commitment to change among health care perspective. It defines diagnosis error as ‘‘the failure to (a) professionals, health care organizations, patients and their establish an accurate and timely explanation of the families, researchers, and policy makers. The committee’s patient’s health problem(s) or (b) communicate that expla- recommendations contribute to the growing momentum for nation to the patient.’’ change in this crucial area of health care quality and safety. Often, this type of error results in delay of care, or un- Balogh E, Miller BY, Ball JR, eds; Committee on necessary or harmful treatments or great distress for pa- Diagnostic Error in Health Care. Improving Diagnosis in tients and families. Many adverse events are also associated Healthcare. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering with diagnostic error. The committee described 8 specific and Medicine 2015. Washington DC: National Academies goals to reduce diagnostic error and improve diagnosis (see Press. http://iom.nationalacademies.org/~/media/Files/ insert for the report’s recommendations, anchored to each Report%20Files/2015/Improving-Diagnosis/Diagnostic of the 8 goals): Error_ReportBrief.pdf. Accessed September 23, 2015.

242 Dimensions of Critical Care Nursing Vol. 35 / No. 4 DOI: 10.1097/DCC.0000000000000194

Nash D, Reifsnyder J, Fabius R, Pracilio V. Population Health: Creating a Culture of Wellness. Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett; 2011. The term population health is not new, but is has been more clearly defined in this textVas the distribution of health outcomes across a population, the health determinants that influence THE KNICK distribution, and the policies and interven- (Movie and Original Soundtrack) CD tions that impact the This informative and entertaining film reflects an impor- determinants. This tant time in medical history. It will inform and entertain definition has helped those new to medicine and many experienced health care to identify gaps in our providers. Although this film is not a documentary, it does health care delivery system and expanded our view of provide some historical facts that will be of interest to most population health, as the intersection of acute and chronic medical professionals. health and the combination of healthy and unhealthy Set in New York City in 1900, this new Cinemax behaviors. The key components of the definition, health drama series centers on the Knickerbocker Hospital and outcomes, health determinants, and policies, serve as the the groundbreaking surgeons, nurses, and staff who push foundation for this text. the boundaries of medicine in a time of astonishingly high 1 A new mandate requires that we focus on disease pre- mortality rates and zero antibiotics. vention and health promotion while also caring for episodes The Knickerbocker, the hospital from which The Knick of acute and chronic illness. The goal is a new culture and derives its name, was a real hospital that operated from health care system with a focus on health and wellness. To 1862 to 1979 in Harlem, New York. Originally opened clarify this, the authors focus on the 4 pillars of population as the Manhattan Dispensary, it served as a hospital for health: chronic care management, quality and safety, public northern Civil War veterans. In 1895, the building had health, and health policy. Collectively, these elements provide been renamed the J. Hood Wright Memorial Hospital, a foundation for implementing change and improvement. andin1913,itsnamewasfinallychangedtothe Population health education and management are Knickerbocker, a title that stuck until a few years before an essential component of national health reform. As its closing, when it was renamed the Arthur C. Logan 2 Dr. David Nash and colleagues explain; sixty percent of Memorial Hospital. American deaths are attributable to behavioral factors, The series reproduce rapid advances in surgery social circumstances and environmental exposures. We between 2 eras (season 1 and 2), explained through the need a broader perspective if we truly want to improve work of Dr William Stewart Halsted. A formidable figure the health of our community and nation. in the history of surgery, Halsted is the basis for The This text includes the history and future goals of Knick’s lead character, Dr John Thackery (played by actor population health, offers case studies and discussion Clive Owen), chief of surgery at Knickerbocker Hospital questions, and suggests alternative readings and Web sites in New York City. for further study. Some sections are critical to understand- The story reflects Halsted’s work in the 1800s, when ing the complexities of health care. Chapter 10 explains he introduced various principles into surgery that we take population health in action by introducing readers to the for granted today. Because the evolution of surgery in that ‘‘Triple Aim,’’ a model launched in 2007 by the Institute of time period is a main focus of The Knick, the producers Healthcare Improvement. and writers wanted to retain historical accuracy of the Available on Google books and in hardcopy, this book medical practice. To do this, they recruited Dr Stanley is a fundamental tool for anyone working toward health Burns to ensure historically accuracy. As the onset surgical care reform and quality improvement. This book is or- advisor, Dr Burns shares his expertise and his massive ganized for graduate work in population health but may collection of historic medical photographs and informa- be used by many health care leaders. tion from the Burns Archives.3

July/August 2016 243

The Burns Archive contains over 1 million historic photo- 2. Knickerbocker Hosptial: an inspiration for the Cinemax’s The Knick. August 7, 2014. Bowery Boys. http://www.boweryboy graphs and is best known for providing photographic evidence shistory.com/2014/08/knickerbocker-hospital-inspiration-for. of forgotten, unseen, and disquieting aspects of history. The html. Accessed April 2, 2106. cornerstone of The Burns Archive is its unparalleled collection 3. The Burns Archive. New York. www.burnsarchive.com of early medical photography, but it is also renowned for its ABOUT THE AUTHOR iconic images depicting the darker side of life: death, disease, disaster, mayhem, crime, racism, revolution, and war.2 Kathleen Ahern Gould, PhD, RN, is the editor-in-chief of Dimensions of Critical Care Nursing. http://www.burnsarchive.com The author has disclosed that she has no significant relationships with, or References financial interest in, any commercial companies pertaining to this article. 1. Warmflash D. As seen on television: the dawn of modern medicine. March 30, 2016. http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/crux/ Address correspondence and reprint requests to: Kathleen Ahern 2016/03/30/the-knick-modern-medicine/#.Vw5k2WPNBOg. Gould, PhD, RN, 247 Washington St, Duxbury, MA 02332 Accessed April 2, 2016. ([email protected]).

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