Patient safety is a relatively recent initiative in healthcare, emphasizing the reporting, analysis an prevention of medical error and adverse healthcare events. The frequency and magnitude of avoidable adverse events was not well known until the 1990s, when reports in several countries revealed a staggering number of patient injuries and deaths each year. Patient safety initiatives include application of lessons learned from business and industry, advancing technologies, education of providers and the public, disclosure of errors, and economic incentives. A large number of organizations internationally promote patient safety issues.