Sentinel Event in plain English
A patient-safety term for a serious event that may trigger organizational review; it does not by itself decide malpractice liability.
Where this term may appear
Hospital safety-review terminology used for certain serious patient events.
What to verify
Use the official agency or program source to understand what Sentinel Event does and does not establish; it should not be treated as automatic proof of civil malpractice.
Why context matters
Sentinel Event may be medically important without deciding whether the applicable legal standard was breached or whether the event caused compensable injury.
Use official and primary sources for current medical, licensing, court, and state-law information.