Human factors research in medicine typically focuses on understanding and controlling those factors which lead to adverse events. However, it is also important to understand the factors that lead to excellence in complex, dynamic medical systems so that clinicians can learn from ‘what goes right’ as well as ‘what goes wrong.’ This paper discusses the application of a framework of surgical excellence, developed from a multi-center UK study on human factors and the outcomes of the arterial switch operation (ASO), to other medical domains (cardiac intensive care unit and hematology/oncology ward).
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