Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-vdxz6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-22T11:28:51.507Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Medical Errors Detected and Corrected by a Pediatric Infectious Diseases Consultation Service

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 June 2016

Thomas J. Sandora*
Affiliation:
Children's Hospital Boston, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
Donald A. Goldmann
Affiliation:
Children's Hospital Boston, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
*
Division of Infectious Diseases, Children's Hospital Boston, 300 Longwood Avenue LO 650, Boston, MA 02115thomas.sandora@childrens.harvard.edu

Abstract

Errors occur frequently in healthcare and can adversely affect outcomes. This prospective study demonstrates that pediatric consultants can detect a broad range of errors in the course of routine work. Many of these errors have the potential to cause harm and can be corrected by the intervention of an infectious diseases consultant.

Type
Concise Communications
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 2005

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1.Kohn, LT, Corrigan, JM, Donaldson, MS, eds. To Err Is Human: Building a Safer Health System. Washington, DC: National Academy Press; 2000.Google Scholar
2.Kaushal, R, Bates, DW, Landrigan, C, et al.Medication errors and adverse drug events in pediatric inpatients. JAMA 2001;285:21142120.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
3.Brennan, TA, Leape, LL, Laird, NM, et al.Incidence of adverse events and negligence in hospitalized patients: results of the Harvard Medical Practice Study I. N Engl J Med 1991;324:370376.Google Scholar
4.Leape, LL, Brennan, TALaird, N, et al.The nature of adverse events in hospitalized patients: results of the Harvard Medical Practice Study II. N Engl J Med 1991;324:377384.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5.Leape, LL, Lawthers, AG, Brennan, TAJohnson, WG. Preventing medical injury. QRB: Quality Review Bulletin 1993;19:144149.Google Scholar
6.Vincent, C, Stanhope, N, Crowley-Murphy, M. Reasons for not reporting adverse incidents: an empirical study. J Eval Clin Pract 1999;5:1321.Google Scholar
7.Murff, HJ, Patel, VL, Hripcsak, G, Bates, DW. Detecting adverse events for patient safety research: a review of current methodologies. J Biomed Inform 2003;36:131143.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
8.Stanhope, N, Crowley-Murphy, M, Vincent, C, O'Connor, AM, Taylor-Adams, SE. An evaluation of adverse incident reporting, J Eval Clin Pract 1999;5:512.Google Scholar
9.Elynn, EA, Barker, KN, Pepper, GABates, DW, Mikeal, RL. Comparison of methods for detecting medication errors in 36 hospitals and skilled-nursing facilities. Am J Health Syst Pharm 2002;59:436446.Google Scholar
10.Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. Our Commitment to Patient Safety: Sentinel Event Policy. Oakbrook Terrace, IL: Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations; 2004. Available at www.jcaho.org/general+public/patient+safety/index.htm#two. Accessed January 8, 2004.Google Scholar
11.Vincent, C, Taylor-Adams, S, Chapman, EJ, et al.How to investigate and analyse clinical incidents: clinical risk unit and association of litigation and risk management protocol. BMJ 2000;320:777781.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
12.Australian Patient Safety Foundation (APSF). The Australian Incident Monitoring System (AIMS). Adelaide, Australia: Australian Patient Safety Foundation; 1998. Available at www.apsf.net.au/products.html. Accessed January 28, 2004.Google Scholar
13.Aspden, P, Corrigan, JM, Wolcott, J, Erickson, SM, eds. Patient Safety: Achieving a New Standard for Care. Washington, DC: National Academy Press; 2003.Google Scholar
14.Spath, PL. Using failure mode and effects analysis to improve patient safety. AORNJ 2003;78:1637, 41-14.Google Scholar
15.Baird, DR, Henry, M, Liddell, KG, Mitchell, CM, Sneddon, JG. Post-operative endophthalmitis: the application of hazard analysis critical control points (HACCP) to an infection control problem. J Hosp Infect 2001;49:1422.CrossRefGoogle Scholar