Evaluation Of Patient Safety Research Articles

3:57 PM; Abstract No. 74 - Evaluation of patient safety and complication rates after implementation of a pre-procedure gastrostomy tube clinic

3:57 PM; Abstract No. 74 - Evaluation of patient safety and complication rates after implementation of a pre-procedure gastrostomy tube clinic

일개 상급종합병원 의사들의 환자안전문화에 대한 인식 분석

본 연구에서는 의료기관의 환자안전문화를 이해하고, 의사들의 환자안전문화에 대한 인식분석을 위한 기초자료로 활용하고자 시도하였다. G시에 소재한 상급종합병원 의사를 대상으로 2011년 8월 1일 부터 9월 5일까지 설문조사하여 194부를 최종분석 하였다. 연구결과는 첫째, 대상자와 병동 및 병원안전문화 간의 관계는 직원배치가 성별, 연령별, 병원 근무년수, 환자 접촉여부, 1주 근무시간에 따라 인식의 차이가 있으며, 조직학습과 병동내 팀워크는 1주 근무시간에 따라, 병동 안전문화 모든 하부영역은 진료과별로 유의하게 나타났다. 둘째, 대상자와 의료사고보고체계, 환자 안전도 평가 및 전반적 의식수준과의 관계에서는 사고에 대한 피드백과 의사소통, 사고빈도보고, 전반적 안전의식이 진료과별로 유의하였으며, 전반적 안전의식은 환자접촉과 1주 근무시간에 따라 유의한 결과를 나타냈다. 셋째, 병동 및 병원 안전문화 인식 하부영역과 전반적 인식, 환자안전도 평가는 모두 정의 상관관계가 있는 것으로 나타났다. 의료사고 보고체계와는 직속상관/관리자의 태도와 병원경영진의 태도를 제외한 모든 영역에서 정의 상관관계가 있는 것으로 나타났다. 넷째, 환자안전도 영향을 미치는 환자안전문화 하부영역은 조직학습, 의사소통의 개방성, 전반적 안전인식, 부서간의 협조체계, 피드백과 의사소통, 비처벌적 대응에서 유의한 결과를 나타냈다. 결론적으로, 의사들의 병동 및 병원 환자안전문화 수준을 높이고 의료사고보고체계를 충실하게 하기 위해서는 적절한 직원배치와 근무시간을 바탕으로 병동 내 조직적 학습을 통한 팀워크을 활성화 시키고, 부서간 팀원간의 개방적 의사소통과 사고에 대한 피드백을 제공하여 환자 안전에 대한 병원경영진의 적극적인 지원과 진료과별 협조체계 구축이 필요하다. This study was designed to figure out patient safety culture of medical institutions and try to utilize the study results as basic data for analyzing doctor's awareness of patient safety culture. To this end, questionnaire survey was conducted from August 1st to September 5th, 2011, targeting doctors working at senior general hospitals located in G city, and 194 questionnaires were utilized for final analysis. The research results are as follows. First, there was a difference in awareness of deployment of staffs depending on gender, age, term of service in the hospital, contact with patients and working hours per week in relationship between subjects, wards and hospital safety culture, and organizational learning and teamwork in the ward turned out to be significant in accordance with working hours per week, and all sub-areas of the ward safety culture by departments. Second, feedback about the malpractice, communication, report on malpractice frequency and overall safety awareness were found to be significant by departments in relationship of subjects, medical incident reporting system, patient safety evaluation and overall level of consciousness, and the overall safety awareness showed significant results according to contact with patients and working hours per week. Third, there was a positive corelation in sub-areas of the ward and hospital safety culture awareness, overall recognition and patient safety evaluation, and a positive corelation with medical incident reporting system was found in all areas except for attitude of managers/immediate supervisors and that of hospital executives. Fourth, sub-areas of patient safety culture which has a effect on patient safety showed significant results in organizational learning, openness of communication, overall safety awareness, systematic cooperation between departments, feedback/communication and non-punitive response. In conclusion, to increase the level of the ward and hospital patient safety culture of doctors and implement medical incident reporting system faithfully, it is necessary to activate teamwork through organizational learning in the ward based on the adequate staffing and working hours, promote open communication between departments and provide feedback on medical malpractice, thereby establishing a cooperative system by departments and active support of hospital executives for patient safet.

의료인의 환자안전문화 인식과 환자안전관리 활동 간의 관계

Purpose: This study was done to explore the relationship between perceived patient safety culture and patient safety management activities among health personnel. Methods: This study was a cross-sectional survey. Participants were 342 health personnel working in two tertiary hospitals. Self-administered questionnaires were used to collect data from a convenience sample of 254 nurses and 88 doctors. Results: Scores on participants' perceived patient safety culture and patient safety management activities were just over the mean. There were significant differences in patient safety management activities by type of occupation, nurses' position, length of service, and work week. Doctors scored perceived patient safety culture and patient safety management activities significantly lower than nurses. In addition, perceived patient safety culture was significantly related to patient safety management activities. Factors which influence participants' patient safety management activities were communication, type of occupation, overall evaluation of patient safety, supervisor/manager, frequency with which events were reported, and nurse's position. Conclusion: Findings provide significant evidence that patient safety management activities are associated with perceived patient safety culture. Therefore, to build a positive safety culture, health personnel, especially doctors and general nurses need to visibly commit to patient safety management activities and be role models to ensure patient safety.

Dementia and cognitive impairment in ESRD: diagnostic and therapeutic strategies

Cognitive impairment, including dementia, is a common but poorly recognized problem among patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD), affecting 16-38% of patients. Dementia is associated with high risks of death, dialysis withdrawal, hospitalization, and disability among patients with ESRD; thus, recognizing and effectively managing cognitive impairment may improve clinical care. Dementia screening strategies should take into account patient factors, the time available, the timing of assessments relative to dialysis treatments, and the implications of a positive screen for subsequent management (for example, transplantation). Additional diagnostic testing in patients with cognitive impairment, including neuroimaging, is largely based on the clinical evaluation. There is limited data on the efficacy and safety of pharmacotherapy for dementia in the setting of ESRD; therefore, decisions about the use of these medications should be individualized. Management of behavioral symptoms, evaluation of patient safety, and advance care planning are important components of dementia management. Prevention strategies targeting vascular risk factor modification, and physical and cognitive activity have shown promise in the general population and may be reasonably extrapolated to the ESRD population. Modification of ESRD-associated factors such as anemia and dialysis dose or frequency require further study before they can be recommended for treatment or prevention of cognitive impairment.

Preoperative evaluation of safety in patients undergoing liver resection

肝切除术是目前治疗原发性肝癌最有效的方法,但肝切除术中大出血和术后肝功能衰竭是导致患者术后死亡的主要原因.在我国,约80%的肝癌患者伴有乙型肝炎和不同程度的肝硬化,肝脏再生及代偿功能差,对这类患者实施肝切除手术风险会更大[1]。

Quality improvement of patient care – Forensic pathologists’ perspective

In the U.S. today, the pathologists, both hospital-based and forensic, are regularly involved in quality assurance (QA) programs, the evaluation of patient safety at all levels of medical care, including treatments in walk-in clinics and medical offices. In the United States, official death investigations are conducted by the Medical Examiner’s Office. The Medical Examiner’s Office is aided in its work by a network of coordinating agencies to provide complete, comprehensive reporting and investigation of deaths placed under its jurisdiction. Those agencies are the Health Department, the Registrar of Vital Statistics on Births and Deaths, Division of Health Facilities, the Hospital Office of Decedent Affairs and the State medical licensing agencies, as well as the various law enforcement and regulatory agencies and the prosecuting attorney’s office. Forensic pathologists are witnesses to the fatal results of often avoidable untoward events. They need to use their experiences to address and emphasize overall prevention programs to improve the quality of life in the community, to publicize the avoidable actions which can lead to untoward results. In the current growing atmosphere of threatening chemical, biological and radiation terrorist attacks, the health care system, especially hospitals, including emergency services, are mobilizing to develop plans to meet possible anticipated need for disaster preparedness.

Erratum: Reducing Light and Sound in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: An Evaluation of Patient Safety, Staff Satisfaction, and Costs

Walsh-Sukys M, Reitenbach A, Hudson-Barr D, dePompei P. J Perinatol 2001; 21: 230–235. Since publication of the above paper, a tyesetting error in Figure 1 has been identified. The correct Figure 1 is reproduced below.

Reducing light and sound in the neonatal intensive care unit: an evaluation of patient safety, staff satisfaction and costs.

To modify an existing Level III neonatal intensive care unit and to compare light and sound levels in the renovated nursery with an adjacent traditionally configured nursery. Further, to assess the impact of this practice on patient safety, staff perceptions of the nursery environments, and to document costs of renovation. Prospective comparison of light and sound levels in identical six-bed patient rooms within an existing intensive care unit. One room was modified to reduce light and sound, and the other served as a control. Costs of renovation were documented. Patient characteristics, severity of illness and safety outcomes were documented following modifications. Physician and nursing staff were surveyed on their perceptions of the renovations. Both light and sound were reduced with modifications that incurred modest costs. Patient safety was not influenced adversely by reduced light or sound levels. Staff members were highly satisfied with reductions in sound levels. Reactions to reduced lighting levels were more mixed and led to modification of bedside lighting. Cost-effective renovations to an existing NICU are possible, desirable, and do not impact patient safety. The reductions achieved, however, are less than those reached with new construction.

Antibiotic optimization. An evaluation of patient safety and economic outcomes

Although numerous reports have described interventions designed to influence antibiotic utilization, to our knowledge none have been evaluated in a randomized study. Adult inpatients receiving 1 or more of 10 designated parenteral antibiotics for 3 or more days during a 3-month period were randomized to an intervention (n = 141) and a control (n = 111) group using an unblocked, computer-generated random number table. Obstetric patients and those seen in infectious disease consultation were excluded. The intervention group received antibiotic-related suggestions from a team consisting of an infectious disease fellow and a clinical pharmacist. Both groups were evaluated for clinical and microbiological outcomes as well as antibiotic utilization via prospective chart reviews and analysis of the hospital's administrative database. Sixty-two (49%) of the intervention group patients received a total of 74 suggestions. Sixty-three (84%) of these suggestions were implemented; the majority involved changes in antibiotic choice, dosing regimen, or route of administration. Per patient antibiotic charges were nearly $400 less in the intervention group vs controls (P = .05). Almost all the savings were related to lower intravenous antibiotic charges. Clinical and microbiological response, antibiotic-associated toxic effects, in-hospital mortality, and readmission rates were similar for both groups. Multiple linear regression analysis identified randomization to the intervention group and female sex as the sole predictors of lower antibiotic charges. There was a trend toward a shorter length of stay for the intervention group (20 vs 24.7 days, P = .11). This is the first randomized study to evaluate whether antibiotic choices can be influenced in a cost-effective fashion without sacrificing patient safety. We demonstrate that 50% of patients initially treated with expensive parenteral antibiotics can have their regimens refined after 3 days of therapy and that these modifications result in good clinical outcomes with a substantial reduction in antibiotic expense.