25 years of patient safety: A national advocacy group keeps watch

Patient safety is paramount for physicians — and problematic in hospitals and health care systems across the United States.

In recent years, some indicators have shown hospitals and health systems are getting better at preventing medical errors and accidents that harm people. There always is room for improvement, especially when some safety problems make patient conditions worse in the very places they go to receive treatment and healing.

How bad is the problem? The Leapfrog Group, a nonprofit watchdog orgiznation, cites findings of more than 200,000 lives lost every year because of preventable medical mistakes.

The Leapfrog Group has become known for its hospital letter grades for patient safety and reports on issues standards and measures ranging from hand hygiene to maternal health. In this video series, Leah Binder, Leapfrog Group president and CEO, introduces the organization and discusses the state of U.S. health care with an eye on patient safety, and actions to augment it.