According to the 1999 Institute of Medicine report "To Err is Human," medical errors in hospital settings are the eighth leading cause of death in America. Physician leaders are the key to changing the culture of medicine so it supports safety, quality, and efficiency.

The MMA has been a leader in Minnesota efforts to improve patient safety through the Minnesota Alliance for Patient Safety (MAPS). The MMA continues to work with local and national efforts to reduce medical errors with particular attention to identifying root causes of errors; ensuring data privacy and confidentiality; reducing the culture of blame in the health care industry, and the working towards equitable distribution of costs.

In 2006, the MMA granted its first Physician Leadership in Quality Award and published the first issue of the the MMA Quality Review.

Publications

MMA Quality Review
Crossing the Quality Chasm: A New Health System for the 21st Century, Committee on Quality of Health Care in America, Institute of Medicine
To Err Is Human: Building a Safer Health System, Kohn, LT; Corrigan, JM; Donaldson, MS; Editors, Committee on Quality of Health Care in America, Institute of Medicine

Websites

Agency for Health Care Research and Quality (AHRQ) Patient Safety Network
The Commonwealth Fund
Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI)
Institute of Medicine(IOM)
Joint Commission International Center for Patient Safety
Minnesota Alliance for Patient Safety (MAPS)
Minnesota Department of Health Adverse Events Reporting
Safest in America

Minnesota campaigns

My Medicine List
A universal medication reconciliation list endorsed by Minnesota providers.

Patients as Partners Campaign
Initiated in October, 2005 by MAPS, the long-term goal of this campaign is to have an active, informed and integrated advisory presence with family members, parents and/or patients in every health care entity in Minnesota 

5 Million Lives Campaign
The 5 Million Lives Campaign aims to enlist thousands of hospitals across the country in a commitment to implement changes in care that have been proven to prevent avoidable deaths. MAPS was accepted by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement to be the state coordinator for this campaign.

Safest in America
Safest in America is a collaboration of ten Twin Cities and Rochester hospital systems and the Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement that works to improve patient safety by learning from the experiences of all group members.