Preventive Measures for Wrong Site, Wrong Person, and Wrong Procedure Error in the Perioperative Setting

Wrong site, wrong person, wrong procedure errors are preventable. Historical dealings with these mistakes frequently meant a search for the person to blame and shame. Current methodology demonstrates that often a break in the process or system has caused the error—not the people involved. This article examines initiatives that professional associations and regulatory, private, and public institutions are putting into place to prevent events that should never happen to patients, practitioners, or facilities.