What contributes to internists' willingness to disclose medical errors? (original) (raw)
Related papers
Journal of General Internal Medicine, 2006
BACKGROUND: Physician disclosure of medical errors to institutions, patients, and colleagues is important for patient safety, patient care, and professional education. However, the variables that may facilitate or impede disclosure are diverse and lack conceptual organization. OBJECTIVE: To develop an empirically derived, comprehensive taxonomy of factors that affects voluntary disclosure of errors by physicians. DESIGN: A mixed-methods study using qualitative data collection (structured literature search and exploratory focus groups), quantitative data transformation (sorting and hierarchical cluster analysis), and validation procedures (confirmatory focus groups and expert review). RESULTS: Full-text review of 316 articles identified 91 impeding or facilitating factors affecting physicians' willingness to disclose errors. Exploratory focus groups identified an additional 27 factors. Sorting and hierarchical cluster analysis organized factors into 8 domains. Confirmatory focus groups and expert review relocated 6 factors, removed 2 factors, and modified 4 domain names. The final taxonomy contained 4 domains of facilitating factors (responsibility to patient, responsibility to self, responsibility to profession, responsibility to community), and 4 domains of impeding factors (attitudinal barriers, uncertainties, helplessness, fears and anxieties). CONCLUSIONS: A taxonomy of facilitating and impeding factors provides a conceptual framework for a complex field of variables that affects physicians' willingness to disclose errors to institutions, patients, and colleagues. This taxonomy can be used to guide the design of studies to measure the impact of different factors on disclosure, to assist in the design of error-reporting systems, and to inform educational interventions to promote the disclosure of errors to patients.
Medical error disclosure: the gap between attitude and practice
Postgraduate Medical Journal, 2012
Background This study aims to evaluate the attending surgeons' and residents' attitudes towards error disclosure and factors that can potentially affect these tendencies in major academic hospitals affiliated with Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS). Methods and material In a cross-sectional study, selfadministered questionnaires were delivered to all attending surgeons and second to fourth year surgical residents of TUMS during October and November 2009. The questionnaire contained two clinical scenarios and questions regarding physicians' attitudes towards disclosing medical error and their actual practice in the case of their last error. Of the 63 distributed questionnaires, 53 (84.1%) were completed and returned.
IOSR Journals , 2019
INTRODUCTION Medical errors are one of the most important quality problems in health care today. A medical error is a preventable adverse effect of care whether or not it is evident or harmful to the patient. Reporting errors is fundamental to error prevention1 . Reporting both errors and near misses has been key to improve safety. It sets up a process so that errors and near misses can be communicated to key stakeholders. Once data are compiled, health care agencies can then evaluate causes and revise and create processes to reduce the risk of errors. A crosssectional descriptive study was done by adopting a 27 itemed questionnaire regarding the opinion of resident doctors working in tertiary care teaching hospital about improving patient safety by reporting medical errors.Data was analyzed using Microsoft Excel 2007 version statistical software. Period of the study was from May 2019 to July 2019.
Life Science Journal
Despite the best intentions of caregivers, medical errors occur frequently. Each year thousands of injuries and deaths in hospitals result from medical errors. Reporting and disclosure about incidents errors is fundamental to error prevention. Aim: The aim of this research was to assess the personal preference and perceived barriers toward disclosure and report of incident errors among healthcare personnel. Design: A descriptive cross-sectional design was used for this research. Setting: The study was conducted at two hospitals' namely; King Fahd Hospital of the University (KFHU) in Saudi Arabia and El-Behara Hospitals in Egypt in Intensive Care Units (ICUs) and surgical department. Sample: The sample included 155 health care professionals (physicians and registered nurses). Tools: Two tools were used in this study; the first tool used to assess perceived barriers to medical errors and the second tool used to assess personal preference about which incidents to be disclosed and t...
Disclosure of Medical Errors: Attitudes of Iranian Internists and Surgeons
International journal of medical toxicology and forensic medicine, 2013
Background : Despite the widespread prevalence of medical errors and increased concerns of healthcare managers and the public about the disclosure of medical errors in recent decades, existing evidence shows that physicians still ignore the importance of disclosure of those errors. The present study aims to investigate the attitudes of Iranian internists and surgeons towards the disclosure of medical errors. Method: In this cross-sectional study, after a research purpose briefing, a checklist eliciting basic information and a questionnaire measuring attitudes towards the disclosure of medical errors was distributed to participant physicians at Imam Khomeini Hospital, Tehran, Iran. The questionnaires were returned filled out by 107 participants (54 internists and 53 surgeons). Results: Although 77%, 53% and 44% of the participants agreed to the disclosure of serious, minor and near miss medical errors, respectively, 83% believed that it's very difficult for them to disclose medic...
Patients' and Physicians' Attitudes Regarding the Disclosure of Medical Errors
JAMA, 2003
Context Despite the best efforts of health care practitioners, medical errors are inevitable. Disclosure of errors to patients is desired by patients and recommended by ethicists and professional organizations, but little is known about how patients and physicians think medical errors should be discussed. Objective To determine patients' and physicians' attitudes about error disclosure. Design, Setting, and Participants Thirteen focus groups were organized, including 6 groups of adult patients, 4 groups of academic and community physicians, and 3 groups of both physicians and patients. A total of 52 patients and 46 physicians participated. Main Outcome Measures Qualitative analysis of focus group transcripts to determine the attitudes of patients and physicians about medical error disclosure; whether physicians disclose the information patients desire; and patients' and physicians' emotional needs when an error occurs and whether these needs are met. Results Both patients and physicians had unmet needs following errors. Patients wanted disclosure of all harmful errors and sought information about what happened, why the error happened, how the error's consequences will be mitigated, and how recurrences will be prevented. Physicians agreed that harmful errors should be disclosed but "choose their words carefully" when telling patients about errors. Although physicians disclosed the adverse event, they often avoided stating that an error occurred, why the error happened, or how recurrences would be prevented. Patients also desired emotional support from physicians following errors, including an apology. However, physicians worried that an apology might create legal liability. Physicians were also upset when errors happen but were unsure where to seek emotional support. Conclusions Physicians may not be providing the information or emotional support that patients seek following harmful medical errors. Physicians should strive to meet patients' desires for an apology and for information on the nature, cause, and prevention of errors. Institutions should also address the emotional needs of practitioners who are involved in medical errors.