Health Lessons from the Airlines

Could airlines have something to teach the health industry? You may not automatically see the link between the two, but the New York Times reports that many health care providers are looking at airlines and how they prevent accidents as a model for hospitals and preventable errors.

From improved communications, and checklists that pilots use during their safety checks, some in the health care field see the value in using some elements of airline safety in the hospital setting. The National Center for Policy Analysis covers this different approach to improving patient safety in hospitals.