Day 1 : Oral Presentations (Theme: Patient Safety)
Views of healthcare providers on medical errors in Karachi, Pakistan
Location
Lecture Hall 2
Start Date
26-1-2013 10:30 AM
Abstract
Background: Incidence of medical errors is an area of concern for health care providers and policy makers. The large number of preventable errors, risk of litigations, patients’ insecurity and lack of confidence in health care provision is a concern globally. In an underdeveloped country like Pakistan, patient safety is an important trepidation as it poses a great cost burden on healthcare system. Objectives of this cross-sectional analytical study are, to estimate the rate of medical errors and to assess the factors that influence medical error reporting in Pakistan.
Methods: Data was collected over period of three months, via self-administered survey questionnaire. 385 participants, including doctors, nurses and paramedics from different private and government hospitals of Karachi were selected by non-probability convenience sampling technique to gather information about number of errors witnessed and reported, by healthcare providers and factors that influence the error-reporting, after an informed consent.
Results: According to the preliminary review of data, approximately 90 percent of healthcare professional believe that medical errors are common. More than 50 percent have witnessed medical errors. 80 percent of the population surveyed has experienced a medical error. Approximately half of the participants believe that medical errors are not often reported in our country.
Conclusions: Though a substantial number of the healthcare professional in Karachi have ever witnessed or experienced a medical error, majority is of the opinion that not many medical errors are reported or disclosed. Improving healthcare system for patient safety is need of the hour. Both management and healthcare professionals need to improve error-reporting systems in Pakistan.
Key words: Medical Error; Quality of care; Adverse medical events; patient safety
Views of healthcare providers on medical errors in Karachi, Pakistan
Lecture Hall 2
Background: Incidence of medical errors is an area of concern for health care providers and policy makers. The large number of preventable errors, risk of litigations, patients’ insecurity and lack of confidence in health care provision is a concern globally. In an underdeveloped country like Pakistan, patient safety is an important trepidation as it poses a great cost burden on healthcare system. Objectives of this cross-sectional analytical study are, to estimate the rate of medical errors and to assess the factors that influence medical error reporting in Pakistan.
Methods: Data was collected over period of three months, via self-administered survey questionnaire. 385 participants, including doctors, nurses and paramedics from different private and government hospitals of Karachi were selected by non-probability convenience sampling technique to gather information about number of errors witnessed and reported, by healthcare providers and factors that influence the error-reporting, after an informed consent.
Results: According to the preliminary review of data, approximately 90 percent of healthcare professional believe that medical errors are common. More than 50 percent have witnessed medical errors. 80 percent of the population surveyed has experienced a medical error. Approximately half of the participants believe that medical errors are not often reported in our country.
Conclusions: Though a substantial number of the healthcare professional in Karachi have ever witnessed or experienced a medical error, majority is of the opinion that not many medical errors are reported or disclosed. Improving healthcare system for patient safety is need of the hour. Both management and healthcare professionals need to improve error-reporting systems in Pakistan.
Key words: Medical Error; Quality of care; Adverse medical events; patient safety