Summary

Results of provisional use of a system for voluntary anonymous reporting of incidents that threaten patient safety in the emergency medical services of Asturias

Galván Núñez P, Santander Barrios MD, Villa Álvarez MC, Castro Delgado R, Alonso Lorenzo JC, Arcos González P

Affiliation of the authors

SAMU Asturias, Spain. MFYC área VII. Asturias, Spain. Salud Pública Área IV. Asturias, Spain. Unidad de Investigación en Emergencia y Desastre, Universidad de Oviedo, Spain.

DOI

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Quote

Galván Núñez P, Santander Barrios MD, Villa Álvarez MC, Castro Delgado R, Alonso Lorenzo JC, Arcos González P. Results of provisional use of a system for voluntary anonymous reporting of incidents that threaten patient safety in the emergency medical services of Asturias. Emergencias. 2016;28:146-52

Summary

Objectives.

To describe the reported incidents and adverse events in the emergency medical services of Asturias, Spain, and assess their consequences, delays caused, and preventability.

Methods.

Prospective, observational study of incidents reported by the staff of the emergency medical services of Asturias after implementation of a system devised by the researchers.

Results.

Incident reports were received for 0.48% (95% CI, 0.41%–0.54%) of the emergencies attended. Patient safety was compromised in 74.7% of the reported incidents. Problems arising in the emergency response coordination

center (ERCC) accounted for 37.6% of the incidents, transport problems for 13.4%, vehicular problems for 10.8%, and communication problems for 8.8%. Seventy percent of the reported incidents caused delays in care; 55% of the reported incidents that put patients at risk (according to severity assessment code ratings) corresponded to problems

related to human or material resources. A total of 88.1% of the incidents reported were considered avoidable. Some type of intervention was required to attenuate the effects of 46.2% of the adverse events reported. The measures that staff members most often proposed to prevent adverse events were to increase human and material resources

(28.3%), establish protocols (14.5%), and comply with quality of care recommendations (9.7%).

Conclusions.

It is important to promote a culture of safety and incident reporting among health care staff in Asturias given the number of serious adverse events. Reporting is necessary for understanding the errors made and taking steps to prevent them. The ERCC is the point in the system where incidents areparticularly likely to appear and be noticed and reported.

 

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Alonso Lorenzo JC, Arcos González P, Castro Delgado R, Galván Núñez P, Santander Barrios MD, Villa Álvarez MC

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