Errors or mistakes committed by health professionals which result in harm to the patient. They include errors in diagnosis (DIAGNOSTIC ERRORS), errors in the administration of drugs and other medications (MEDICATION ERRORS), errors in the performance of surgical procedures, in the use of other types of therapy, in the use of equipment, and in the interpretation of laboratory findings. Medical errors are differentiated from MALPRACTICE in that the former are regarded as honest mistakes or accidents while the latter is the result of negligence, reprehensible ignorance, or criminal intent.

Descriptor ID	D019300
MeSH Number(s)	N02.421.450
Concept/Terms	Medical Errors Medical Errors Medical Mistake Mistake, Medical Mistakes, Medical Errors, Medical Error, Medical Medical Error Medical Mistakes Surgical Errors Surgical Errors Surgical Error Errors, Surgical Error, Surgical

Below are MeSH descriptors whose meaning is more general than "Medical Errors".

Below are MeSH descriptors whose meaning is related to "Medical Errors".

Below are MeSH descriptors whose meaning is more specific than "Medical Errors".