Medical errors in primary care clinics – a cross sectional study
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Patient safety is vital in patient care. There is a lack of studies on medical errors in primary care settings. The aim of the study is to determine the extent of diagnostic inaccuracies and management errors in public funded primary...
Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , |
---|---|
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
BMC
2012-12-01
|
Series: | BMC Family Practice |
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2296/13/127 |
id |
doaj-5ffbc664d9f5413b99cd6483f1afe794 |
---|---|
record_format |
Article |
spelling |
doaj-5ffbc664d9f5413b99cd6483f1afe7942020-11-25T03:46:45ZengBMCBMC Family Practice1471-22962012-12-0113112710.1186/1471-2296-13-127Medical errors in primary care clinics – a cross sectional studyKhoo Ee MingLee Wai KhewSararaks SondiAbdul Samad AzahLiew Su MayCheong Ai ThengIbrahim Mohd YusofSu Sebrina HCMohd Hanafiah Ainul NadzihaMaskon KalsomIsmail RohanaHamid Maimunah A<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Patient safety is vital in patient care. There is a lack of studies on medical errors in primary care settings. The aim of the study is to determine the extent of diagnostic inaccuracies and management errors in public funded primary care clinics.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This was a cross-sectional study conducted in twelve public funded primary care clinics in Malaysia. A total of 1753 medical records were randomly selected in 12 primary care clinics in 2007 and were reviewed by trained family physicians for diagnostic, management and documentation errors, potential errors causing serious harm and likelihood of preventability of such errors.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The majority of patient encounters (81%) were with medical assistants. Diagnostic errors were present in 3.6% (95% CI: 2.2, 5.0) of medical records and management errors in 53.2% (95% CI: 46.3, 60.2). For management errors, medication errors were present in 41.1% (95% CI: 35.8, 46.4) of records, investigation errors in 21.7% (95% CI: 16.5, 26.8) and decision making errors in 14.5% (95% CI: 10.8, 18.2). A total of 39.9% (95% CI: 33.1, 46.7) of these errors had the potential to cause serious harm. Problems of documentation including illegible handwriting were found in 98.0% (95% CI: 97.0, 99.1) of records. Nearly all errors (93.5%) detected were considered preventable.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The occurrence of medical errors was high in primary care clinics particularly with documentation and medication errors. Nearly all were preventable. Remedial intervention addressing completeness of documentation and prescriptions are likely to yield reduction of errors.</p> http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2296/13/127Medical errorsDiagnostic errorsMedication errorsPrimary health care |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Khoo Ee Ming Lee Wai Khew Sararaks Sondi Abdul Samad Azah Liew Su May Cheong Ai Theng Ibrahim Mohd Yusof Su Sebrina HC Mohd Hanafiah Ainul Nadziha Maskon Kalsom Ismail Rohana Hamid Maimunah A |
spellingShingle |
Khoo Ee Ming Lee Wai Khew Sararaks Sondi Abdul Samad Azah Liew Su May Cheong Ai Theng Ibrahim Mohd Yusof Su Sebrina HC Mohd Hanafiah Ainul Nadziha Maskon Kalsom Ismail Rohana Hamid Maimunah A Medical errors in primary care clinics – a cross sectional study BMC Family Practice Medical errors Diagnostic errors Medication errors Primary health care |
author_facet |
Khoo Ee Ming Lee Wai Khew Sararaks Sondi Abdul Samad Azah Liew Su May Cheong Ai Theng Ibrahim Mohd Yusof Su Sebrina HC Mohd Hanafiah Ainul Nadziha Maskon Kalsom Ismail Rohana Hamid Maimunah A |
author_sort |
Khoo Ee Ming |
title |
Medical errors in primary care clinics – a cross sectional study |
title_short |
Medical errors in primary care clinics – a cross sectional study |
title_full |
Medical errors in primary care clinics – a cross sectional study |
title_fullStr |
Medical errors in primary care clinics – a cross sectional study |
title_full_unstemmed |
Medical errors in primary care clinics – a cross sectional study |
title_sort |
medical errors in primary care clinics – a cross sectional study |
publisher |
BMC |
series |
BMC Family Practice |
issn |
1471-2296 |
publishDate |
2012-12-01 |
description |
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Patient safety is vital in patient care. There is a lack of studies on medical errors in primary care settings. The aim of the study is to determine the extent of diagnostic inaccuracies and management errors in public funded primary care clinics.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This was a cross-sectional study conducted in twelve public funded primary care clinics in Malaysia. A total of 1753 medical records were randomly selected in 12 primary care clinics in 2007 and were reviewed by trained family physicians for diagnostic, management and documentation errors, potential errors causing serious harm and likelihood of preventability of such errors.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The majority of patient encounters (81%) were with medical assistants. Diagnostic errors were present in 3.6% (95% CI: 2.2, 5.0) of medical records and management errors in 53.2% (95% CI: 46.3, 60.2). For management errors, medication errors were present in 41.1% (95% CI: 35.8, 46.4) of records, investigation errors in 21.7% (95% CI: 16.5, 26.8) and decision making errors in 14.5% (95% CI: 10.8, 18.2). A total of 39.9% (95% CI: 33.1, 46.7) of these errors had the potential to cause serious harm. Problems of documentation including illegible handwriting were found in 98.0% (95% CI: 97.0, 99.1) of records. Nearly all errors (93.5%) detected were considered preventable.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The occurrence of medical errors was high in primary care clinics particularly with documentation and medication errors. Nearly all were preventable. Remedial intervention addressing completeness of documentation and prescriptions are likely to yield reduction of errors.</p> |
topic |
Medical errors Diagnostic errors Medication errors Primary health care |
url |
http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2296/13/127 |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT khooeeming medicalerrorsinprimarycareclinicsacrosssectionalstudy AT leewaikhew medicalerrorsinprimarycareclinicsacrosssectionalstudy AT sararakssondi medicalerrorsinprimarycareclinicsacrosssectionalstudy AT abdulsamadazah medicalerrorsinprimarycareclinicsacrosssectionalstudy AT liewsumay medicalerrorsinprimarycareclinicsacrosssectionalstudy AT cheongaitheng medicalerrorsinprimarycareclinicsacrosssectionalstudy AT ibrahimmohdyusof medicalerrorsinprimarycareclinicsacrosssectionalstudy AT susebrinahc medicalerrorsinprimarycareclinicsacrosssectionalstudy AT mohdhanafiahainulnadziha medicalerrorsinprimarycareclinicsacrosssectionalstudy AT maskonkalsom medicalerrorsinprimarycareclinicsacrosssectionalstudy AT ismailrohana medicalerrorsinprimarycareclinicsacrosssectionalstudy AT hamidmaimunaha medicalerrorsinprimarycareclinicsacrosssectionalstudy |
_version_ |
1724504400534175744 |