Reporting Errors So We Can Learn From Them

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE Given the scope of the medical errors problem, the knee-jerk response is: we need more reporting, so we can prevent them. The hope is that transparency will drive change, and once we understand the problem better, we will be able to fix it. This makes intuitive sense, which is why most hospitals have error reporting systems. Error reporting systems  These are called incident reporting (IR) systems , and the reports come from the medical staff – the doctors and nurses who are taking care of the patient.

IR systems are passive forms of surveillance, which rely on the willingness of the medical staff to report errors. While these systems are low cost, the experience with them has been disappointing. Medical staff often don’t bother to report because: They were too busy and did not have enough time Did not know whom to report to or how to…