Morbidity and Mortality Conferences: A Mini Review and Illustrated Application in Veterinary Medicine

• Main Authors: Daniel S. J. Pang, Frédérik Rousseau-Blass, Jessica M. Pang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2018-03-01
• Series: Frontiers in Veterinary Science
• Subjects: morbidity and mortality conference; rounds; meeting; errors; adverse events; complications
• Online Access: http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fvets.2018.00043/full

This mini review presents current knowledge on the role of morbidity and mortality conferences (M&MCs) as a powerful educational tool and driver to improve patient care. Although M&MCs have existed since the early twentieth century, formal evaluation of their impact on education and patient care is relatively recent. Over time, M&MCs have evolved from single discipline discussions with a tendency to focus on individual errors and assign blame, to multidisciplinary, standardized presentations incorporating error analysis techniques, and educational theory. Current evidence shows that M&MCs can provide a valuable educational experience and have the potential to generate measurable improvements in patient care.