Medical Errors Drive Wave of New Patient Safety Web Sites
Patients and their family members who have experienced medical errors are "becoming an increasingly powerful and vocal force" by creating Web sites and online communities to share strategies for preventing the errors and provide support and advice, according to the Wall Street Journal.

A group, called Consumers Advancing Patient Safety, two months ago launched an online community, and was selected by the World Health Organization to help build a worldwide network of consumer patient safety experts and to conduct patient safety workshops worldwide.

Sorrel King, whose daughter in 2001 died after a series of medical mistakes at Johns Hopkins Children's Center in Baltimore, has launched a Web site that includes:

  • Her own blog on patient safety;
  • An online community where families can post their experiences with medical errors;
  • Advice from medical and legal experts on how to avoid medical errors and deal with them if they occur; and
  • Resources for hospitals to boost safety.

    • More information at iHealthBeat