Abstract
The history of physician practice has evolved from a time when the physician’s word was simply accepted as truth to a time when fallibility is viewed as an opportunity. Numerous societal factors contribute to the way in which healthcare providers deliver care and the ways in which they take responsibility for that care. Society looks to providers to lead efforts for improving safety. Advances in technology and education position physicians and other providers to foster innovation and create fair mechanisms for accountability.
Medical ethics grounds providers and affords a moral framework for accountability. Blame in healthcare must be balanced with transparency so that providers are neither afraid to report nor free of responsibility. Healthcare institutions must prioritize time and effort within patient safety departments in a way that develops collaborative attention to accountability.
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Long, J.A. (2014). Accountability in the Medical Profession. In: Stahel, P., Mauffrey, C. (eds) Patient Safety in Surgery. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-4369-7_11
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-4369-7_11
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