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Lecture 17 medical errors
1. Asst. Prof., Dept. of Medical Ethics
Alfarabi Colleges
Dr. Ghaiath M. A. Hussein
Professionalism and Ethics Education for Residents (PEER)
Medical Errors
2. Outline
Definitions of terminology related to Medical Error (ME)
Levels of severity of medical error
Types & Examples of medical errors
Causes of ME
Disclosure of ME
Prevention of Medical Error
3. Definitions of Medical Error
The failure of a planned action to be completed as intended, or
as the use of a wrong plan to achieve an aim.
A preventable adverse effect of care, whether or not it is evident
or harmful to the patient.
This might include an inaccurate or incomplete diagnosis or
treatment of a disease, injury, syndrome, behavior, infection, or
other ailment.
4. More Definitions
ME: An act or omission that would have been judged
wrong by knowledgeable peers at the time it occurred
Adverse Event: An unplanned or unusual deviation in the
patient care
Sentinel Event : An event which has resulted in an
unanticipated death or major permanent loss of function,
not related to the natural course of the patient's illness or
underlying condition.
5. Levels of Severity of ME
Level 1: An event occurred that resulted in the need for increased
patient assessments, but no change in vital signs and
no patient harm.
Level 2: An event occurred that resulted in the need for treatment
and/or intervention and caused temporary patient harm.
Level 3: An event occurred that resulted in initial or prolonged
hospitalization, and caused temporary harm.
6. Levels of Severity of ME Cont…
Level 4: An event occurred that resulted in permanent patient harm
or near death event, such as anaphylaxis.
Level 5: Any set of circumstances (exclusive of the disease or
condition in which the patient is being treated) which
significantly increases the likelihood of a serious
adverse outcome.
Level 6: An event occurred that resulted in patient death.
*Levels 3 through 6 shall be discussed with patient or families.
7. Types and Examples of Medical Errors
EXAMPLEERROR
Missed diagnosisDiagnosis or evaluation
Inappropriate or premature dischargeMedical decision-making
Waiting when treatment is indicatedTreatment
Incorrect dosageMedication
Failure to review treatment planInadequate supervision
Failure to convey informationFaulty communication
Faulty techniqueProcedural complications
Inappropriate or premature dischargeMedical decision-making
*Wu AW, McPhee SJ, and Christensen JF. Mistakes in Medical Practice, Chapter 32 in Behavioral Medicine in Primary
Care. 1997 Appleton and Lange, Stamford, CT. Edited by MD Feldman and JF Christensen.
*Adapted, with permission, from Wu AW at al: Do house officers learn from their mistakes? JAMA 1991;
265:2089. American Medical Association
8. Common Causes of Medical Mistakes
Ignorance
Inexperience
Faulty judgment
Hesitation
Fatigue
Job overload
Breaks in concentration
Faulty communication
Failure to monitor closely
System flaws
*Wu AW, McPhee SJ, and Christensen JF. Mistakes in MedicalPractice,Chapter 32 in Behavioral Medicine in Primary Care. 1997
Appleton and Lange, Stamford, CT. Edited by MD Feldman and
JF Christensen.
9. Simple Truths about Medical Mistakes
1. Errors will happen. Since no human is infallible, errors are bound
to happen, and this includes physicians.
2. Since errors can be expected, systems must be designed to
prevent and absorb them.
3. Errors are not synonymous with negligence. Medicine’s ethos of
infallibility leads, wrongly, to a culture that sees mistakes as an
individual problem and remedies them with blame and
punishment instead of looking for root causes and fixing problems
by improving systems.
4. Creating a culture supportive of errors reporting is the starting
point in reducing future medical errors.
10. Disclosing Error to Patients
Notify your professional insurer and seek assistance
from those who might help you with disclosure (e.g.,
unit director, risk manager)
Disclose promptly what you know about the event.
Concentrate on what happened and the possible
consequences.
Take the lead in disclosure; don’t wait for the patient
to ask.
11. Disclosing Error to Patients Cont.
Outline a plan of care to rectify the harm and prevent
recurrence.
Offer to get prompt second opinions where appropriate.
Offer the option of a family meeting and the option of
having lawyers present.
Document important discussions.
12. Disclosing Error to Patients Cont.
Offer the option of follow-up meetings.
Be prepared for strong emotions.
Accept responsibility for outcomes, but avoid attributions of
blame.
Apologies and expressions of sorrow are appropriate.
Hébert PC, Levin AV, and Robertson G. CMAJ 2001:164; 509-513
13. Prevention of Medical Errors
Examples in medical practiceError prevention measures include
Checklists, flow sheets, tickler
systems
Reduced reliance on memory
Handheld computer, electronic
medical records
Improved information access
Fail-safe to avoid prescribing two
drugs that interact fatally
Error-proofing systems.
Office formularies, guidelines
synthesis
Standardization
Staff in services.Training on error identification and
prevention
20. Questions for Discussion
How do I decide whether to tell a patient about an error?
Do physicians have an ethical duty to disclose information about
medical mistakes they, or their colleagues, did to their patients?
Won't disclosing mistakes to patients undermine their trust in
physicians and the medical system?
By disclosing a mistake to my patient, do I risk having a malpractice suit
filed against me?
What if I see someone else make a mistake?
http://depts.washington.edu/bioethx/topics/mistks.html