The effect of the fit between organizational culture and structure on medication errors in medical group practices

Abstract

The interaction between specific cultural traits and structural dimensions can help understand some of the relationships between organizational culture, structure, and medication errors. Organizational structures do not exist in a vacuum, but rather their effect on patient safety outcomes is "moderated" by the organizational culture. The implications are that medical group practice administrators and medical directors have alternate ways to prevent or reduce medication errors and that they should be attentive to the cultures of their practices when considering those options.