Dependability in Medicine and Neurology : Using Engineering and Management Principles for Better Patient Care

This ground-breaking title presents an interdisciplinary introduction to the subject of Dependability and how it applies in medicine generally and in neurology in particular. Dependability is the term applied in engineering and industry to a service that is safe, reliable and trustworthy. Dependable systems use a variety of methods to deliver correct service in the face of uncertainty resulting from misleading, erroneous information, and system faults. Dependable systems result from the application of systematic methods in design, operation, and management to deliver their services.

Dependability in Medicine and Neurology presents the philosophy and ideas behind the specific methods of dependability and discusses the principles in the context of medical care and neurologic treatment especially.  Patient case vignettes are used widely to illustrate key points. A first-of-its-kind title and based on the author’s many years of teaching these principles to medical colleagues throughout the United States, Dependability in Medicine and Neurology will inspire readers to develop applications for their specific areas of clinical practice. Intended for physicians (especially neurologists), medical students, nurses, and health administrators, Dependability in Medicine and Neurology is an indispensable reference and important contribution to the literature.

Nikhil Balakrishnan

Wake Forest University School of Medicine

Winston-Salem, NC, USA