Medical error is a serious and controversial problem for health care. Dr. Lucian Leape, a leading researcher on medical error, concludes “Errors result from faulty systems not from faulty people” (2000, p. 97). Discuss how Leape’s view fits with attribution theory, and the implications for health care managers.

What does the literature say about what managers believe about the causes of medical error? What messages do organizational practices send employees about the causes of medical error?