Eitan Naveh
Technion–Israel Institute of Technology, Israel
Title: Errors in health care: Prevention and learning
Biography
Biography: Eitan Naveh
Abstract
Errors are a recurring fact of organizational life and can potentially yield either adverse or positive consequences. Although we have learned much about errors in specific research areas across specific organizational contexts, we know little about how multifaceted forces in organizations, especially when they contradict each other, might affect the pathways of errors in organizations. In this seminar, I will present an integrative approach to errors by summarizing conceptual foundations and empirical findings of my studies. I will focus on three dimensions: namely (1) levels of analysis – the degree to which errors are attributed to the individual (e.g., individual employee) or collective actors (e.g., teams, units); (2) temporal dynamism – the degree to which organizational emphasis is put before, during, and after an error occurs; and (3) priority – the degree to which conflicting priorities are assigned to error coping strategies. I will present my research findings on how to reduce the underlying causes and negative consequences of errors while promoting positive outcomes and learning benefits in organizations and specifically in health care. I will discuss discrepancies, inconsistencies, and opportunities for research synthesis.