The Sociology of Healthcare Safety and Quality

In today s world, few global priorities are more important than the improvement of the safety and quality of healthcare. The Sociology of Healthcare Safety and Quality presents a comprehensive collection of sociologically–informed research readings focusing on the technologies, practices, experiences, and organization of quality and safety across a wide range of healthcare contexts. Chapters reflect the latest research data and findings and are contributed from international experts in a variety of health and healthcare–related fields. From major hospitals and local communities to maternity wards and mental health clinics, readings shine a light into the boardrooms, back offices, and frontlines of healthcare to illuminate the latest sociological insights from the perspectives of all healthcare decision–makers and stakeholders managers, clinicians, and patients alike. Topics explored in depth include corporate governance of healthcare safety and quality; spatiotemporal elements of articulation work involved in achieving repeat prescribing safety in general practice; safety implications of acute illness trajectories in medical and maternity settings; sense–making and co–production of the healthcare safety of primary medical care patients; infection and interaction rituals in clinical settings; knowledge sharing and quality care in mental health services; the role of individual accountability in patient safety; and an overall review of contemporary policy, practice, and research in the healthcare field. Combining scholarly precision with cutting–edge research, The Sociology of Healthcare Safety and Quality offers illuminating sociological insights into the ongoing efforts to improve the efficacy, quality, and safety of health and healthcare for patients and practitioners throughout the world.

Davina Allen is a Professor of Health Care Delivery and Organization at Cardiff University, UK, a member of the Sociology of Health & Illness editorial team and Editorial Board member of the Journal of Health Services Research and Policy.

Jeffrey Braithwaite is Foundation Director, Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Director, Centre for Healthcare Resilience and Implementation Science, and Professor of Health Systems Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia.

Jane Sandall is a Professor of Social Science and Women s Health and co–leads King s Improvement Science at King s College, London.