Since the publication of the Institute of Medicine (IOM) study “To Err is human”, followed by “Crossing the Quality Chasm” two years later, patient safety has become an important concern for all involved: patients, professionals and health care organisations (Bleich, 2005; Kohn, 2000). Over the last …

Background: Because of an expected shrinking supply of medical doctors for hospitalist posts, an increased emphasis on efficiency and continuity of care, and the standardization of many medical procedures, the role of hospitalist is increasingly allocated to physician assistants (PAs). PAs are nonphysician …

Patients in hospitals and nursing homes are at risk of the development of, often preventable, adverse events (AEs), which threaten patient safety. Guidelines for prevention of many types of AEs are available, however, compliance with these guidelines appears to be lacking. Besides general barriers that …