Patient complaints can provide insights into safety threats and system weaknesses. This study used the healthcare complaints analysis tool (HCAT) to identify and categorize safety problems in emergency care. Most problems arose during examination/diagnosis and frequently resulted in diagnostic errors or errors of omission.

The use of readmission rates as a metric of care quality remains controversial, as United States–based studies have shown that only a minority of readmissions are preventable. This prospective cohort study, conducted in 4 European countries, sought to evaluate the preventability of 30-day readmissions after hospitalization from both clinician and patient perspectives. Investigators found that 27.8% of readmissions were considered predictable (by the majority of those interviewed) and 14.4% were considered preventable. However, there was little consensus between physicians, nurses, patients, and caregivers about whether readmissions were preventable and why readmissions occurred. The only factor that consistently predicted readmission risk was if patients reported not feeling ready to go home on the day of discharge. This study adds to the literature questioning the utility of readmission rates as a measure of the quality of care.