What term describes the unintended physical injury resulting from medical care?

The term that describes the unintended physical injury resulting from medical care is known as an adverse event. Adverse events can occur despite the best efforts of healthcare providers and can include complications, worsening of a patient’s condition, or injuries caused by the treatment itself. Identifying and understanding adverse events are crucial aspects of quality and safety in healthcare, as these events can have significant implications for patient well-being and healthcare systems.

While the other options refer to important concepts within patient safety, they do not specifically capture the essence of an unintended injury due to medical care. An incident report is a document used to record details about any deviation from the standard of care, which may or may not lead to harm. A medical error typically refers to a mistake made in the process of providing care or treatment, which could lead to an adverse event but is not synonymous with it. A diagnostic failure indicates a situation where a condition is not properly identified, which can also lead to adverse outcomes but does not directly describe the physical injuries resulting from care. Hence, the concept of an adverse event specifically encompasses the idea of physical harm occurring as a result of medical interventions.