ABSTRACT
This chapter traces the historical development of patient safety as it evolved from a set of sporadic concerns to a sustained social movement. It examines three periods: the sporadic period, the cult period, and the breakout period. The sporadic period, which ranges from ancient Greeks to about the 1950s, is characterized by intermittent insights into the hazards of healthcare, some of which have endured in specific practices. In the cult period, the modern patient safety movement took shape as bits of data and evidence began to coalesce into a more related whole, and through the formation of a self-selected group that was interested in advocating for safety in healthcare. In the breakout period, patient safety became established as a legitimate area of activity and enquiry in healthcare at large and in the broader society. Another development in healthcare was the quality improvement movement, beginning in the late 1980s, also in the 'cult' era timeframe.
