initiating event, the faulty care delivery process invariably permits or compounds the harm and so is the focus of improvement.) High-risk procedures or medical specialties are responsible for most avoidable adverse events. (Although some mistakes, such as in surgery, are harder to conceal, errors occur in all levels of care. Even though complex procedures entail more risk, adverse outcomes are not usually due to error, but to the severity of the condition being treated.) However, United States Pharmacopeia has reported that medication errors during the course of a surgical procedure are three times more likely to cause harm to a patient than those occurring in other types of hospital care. If a patient experiences an adverse event during the process of care, an error has occurred. (Most medical care entails some level of risk, and there can be complications or side effects, even unforeseen ones, from the underlying condition or from the treatment itself.) See also Serious adverse event Adverse drug reaction Biosafety Emily's Law Fatal Care: Survive in the U.S. Health System (book) Medical malpractice Medical resident work hours Sleep deprivation Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act of 2005 Patient safety organization Quality Use of Medicines References Further reading Medical diagnosis Patient safety