Why the distribution of medical errors matters

•This article questions whether we are analyzing the distribution of medical errors correctly.•If we are not, we may have an explanation for why medical errors are refractory to intervention (because we are applying the wrong model).•The current literature does not have enough quality date to determine if medical errors are distributed according to a power rule or a Gaussian function.•Accordingly, this article is a call for further research.

During the last decade, interventions to reduce the number of medical errors have been largely ineffective. Although it is widely assumed that medical errors follow a Gaussian distribution, they may actually follow a Power Rule distribution. This article presents the evidence in favor of a Power Rule distribution for medical errors and then examines the consequences of such a distribution for medical errors. As the distribution of medical errors has real-world implications, further research is needed to determine whether medical errors follow a Gaussian or Power Rule distribution.