Objective To provide information for the establishment of a medical risk monitoring and precaution system in China, by reviewing and analyzing the current status of medical risk management system and preventative measures in New Zealand, Methods We searched EI (1969-2006), SCI and SSCI (1975-2006), EMBASE (1966-2006), SCOPUS (included 100% MEDLINE) (1960-2006), VIP (1989-2006), CNKI (1979-2006) and relevant official and governmental websites. This search was conducted in January 2006 and articles about medical risk management and prevention were collected. Results We included 10 articles involving medical adverse events, patient safety and medical litigation. New Zealand took many measures in order to prevent medical error and improve medical quality, including strengthening medical practice standards, doctor-patient communication, safety awareness and promoting informationization of hospitals. New Zealand also revised “The Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act” and improved medical litigation to form an appropriate law environment. Conclusions New Zealand has taken many measures and established a medical risk management system to prevent medical risk. Some issues of particular relevance to China include building corresponding medical litigation and relevant laws and regulations.
Objective To comprehensively compare the methods and tools for medical risk management and assessment in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia and Taiwan region (hereafter shortened as “four countries and one region”), so as to provide evidence and recommendations for medical risk management policy in China. Methods The official websites of the healthcare risk management agencies in these four countries and one region were searched to collect materials concerning healthcare risk management and monitoring, such as laws, regulatory documents, research reports, reviews and evaluation forms, then the descriptive comparative analysis was performed on the methods and tools for risk management. Results a) A total of 146 documents were included in this study, including 2 laws, 17 regulatory documents, 41 guidelines, 37 reviews and 49 documents about general information; b) The United Kingdom applied the integrated risk management; Australia and Taiwan adopted the classical risk management process, including risk identification, risk analysis, risk evaluation and risk control, while the United States and Canada mainly chose the prospective failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) for clinical risk management; c) The severity of clinical risk was divided into five grades in the United Kingdom and Australia, and six in Taiwan, respectively. The frequency of medical risk was divided into five grades with four grade responses in above two countries and one region; and d) There were almost the same processes and tools about Root Cause Analysis (RCA), but a little difference in the objects of analysis in these four countries and one region. Conclusion?There are three models of risk management with the same assessment tools in these four countries and one region: the prospective risk assessment, the retrospective assessment based on occurred incidents and the integrated risk management. Although the grading of risk is similar, the definition of grading is different in the United Kingdom, Australia and Taiwan. The methods and processes of analyses on the adverse events are almost the same in these four countries and one region.
Objective To provide evidence for establishing a medical risk precaution and monitoring system in China by evidence-based evaluation of the medical risk monitoring and precaution system in Canada, including the current situation and corresponding prevention measures. Method According to the unified search strategy made by our research group, we searched relevant databases and official or government websites. We included articles about medical risk management, medical error and patient safety in Canada. The included articles were classified and the quality was ranked. Results A total of 15 articles were included, among which 10 were official documents (about 2/3) and 5 described research methods (about 1/3), mainly involving medical risk management or evaluation, medical error and patient safety. In 2002, Canada established its National Steering Committee on Patient Safety (NSCPS) and proposed the suggestions to integrate health care resources accross the country, build a patient safety system, and established the Canada Patient Safety Institution (CPSI) to improve patient safety. Canada revised the patient safety management system, collected and issued related information, strengthened doctor-patient communication, developed continuous education for medical staff, practiced the best medical behavior and model and improved lawsuit procedures. These activities have achieved great progress in practice. Conclusions What have been done in Canada will provide a guide for us to establish scientific patient safety system and promote public awareness of patient safety.
Objective To analyze experiences of medical risk management in the United Kingdom so as to explore the possible application for the construction of a Chinese medical risk monitoring and early warning system. Methods We searched Engineering Information, SCI and SSCI, EMBASE, SCOPUS with 100% MEDLINE, VIP, CNKI, and government or official websites. This search was conducted in Jan. 2006. We included articles about medical risk, patient safety and medical errors in the UK. Languages of articles were limited either in English or in Chinese. Results Eleven articles were included, of which 9 article are evidence of level B (about 80%) and the other 2 are evidence of level C (about 20%). The report of “An Organization with a Memory” revealed the severity of medical errors and adverse events in the UK in 2000, and subsequently Minister Blair announced a five-year reform program for NHS. Within 7 years of reform, NHS budget has been increased from ￡33 billion to ￡674 billion,(check numbers-doesn’t sound correct) the National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) and the New National System for learning from adverse events and near misses have been established, a series of practicable measures aimed at ensuring patient safety, preventing medical risk and improving healthcare quality have been implemented, all of which have effectively resolved many problems that perplexed the government and public, such as patients waiting time, range of NHS service, the availability of medical facility and mortality induced by high-risk diseases. Conclusion There are both advantages and disadvantages in the present status of the UK medical risk management. Both of them will provide a guide to prevent medical risk, improve healthcare quality and to realize the ultimate goal that everybody could share healthcare sources fairly and safely in our country.
ObjectiveTo provide some basic data for studies in the future on the prevention of medical disputes by exploring its patterns and reasons. MethodsFifty-five processed medical disputes cases accepted between 2012 and 2014 were retrospectively analyzed for their patterns and causes. ResultsThe number of males in the medical disputes was higher than that of females (male: 60.0%, female: 40.0%), and patients at the age of 40-70 also led in the disputes (aged 40-50: 20.0%, aged 50-60: 18.2%; aged 60-70: 20.0%). There were more medical disputes in the department of cardiology (20.0%), orthopedics (16.4%), otolaryngology (12.7%), and gynecology (10.9%). ConclusionThere are differences in gender and age of the patients as well as departments in terms of medical disputes. We should try to discover the regular patterns of these disputes. Besides those existing medical indexes, we should establish other warning systems through psychological and sociological status of medical staff and patients for reducing medical disputes, which can surely help the administration of medical quality intervention on medical disputes.
The artificial ventilation system is a multi-factor system with some high uncertain risks which should be under controlled by medical risk management of hospitals. The key suggestions for reducing the accidence caused by ventilator are recommented： 1 ） to clarify the risk factor of ventilators, 2 ） to set up management group of ventilators with a clinical engineer who is good at management and quality control of medical equipment on ventilators, 3 ） to develop ventilator clinical practice for safety use, 4 ） to explore the effective risk monitoring and early warning system and mechanism on ventilator application.
Objective To evaluate evidence from American medical risk monitoring and precaution system (AMRMPS) which may affect the construction of Chinese medical risk monitoring and precaution system (CMRMPS). Methods We searched relevant databases and Internet resources to identify literature on AMRMPS, medical errors, and patient safety. We used the quality evaluation system for medical risk management literature to extract and evaluate data. Results In 1999, a report from the Institute of Medicine (IOM) not only showed the severity and cause of medical errors in America but also gave the solution of it. In 2000, the Quality Interagency Coordination Task Force (QuIC) was appointed to assess the IOM report and take specific steps to improve AMRMPS. After 5 years, a well-developed medical risk management system was established with the improvement in the public awareness of medical errors, patient safety, performance criteria of medical safety, information technology and error reporting system. There was still some weakness of this system in risk precaution and prevention. Conclusion The experience from AMRMPS can be used to establish the CMRMPS. Firstly, we should disseminate and strengthen the awareness of medical risk and patient safety in public. Secondly, we should establish hospital audit system which includes auditing of medical staff and course of medical risk in continuing and academic education. Thirdly, we should develop regulations and guidelines on health care, medical purchase and drug supply which will benefit in management of regular work. Fourthly, we should develop computer information system for hospital which will regulate the management without the disturbance from human. Lastly, we should emphasize outcome evaluations and strive for perfection during the process.
Objective To provide reference for medical risk management by evidence-based evaluation of the status of coal-mining risk management in China. Methods We searched databases of EI (1969 to 2005), SDOS (1995 to 2005), Vip (1989 to 2005), Wanfang (up to 2005), and CNKI (1994 to 2005), as well as some official websites, for English and Chinese articles related to coal-mining safety, risk management, precaution, and response to mine disasters in China. Results Total of 19 articles, including 9 official documents, 4 research articles, and 6 expert comments were included. Recently the number of coal-mining disasters has declined in China, but still much larger than that in US. The safety status of small coal mines (90% of total coal mines in China) was much more severe. The response and precaution system of coal mining disaster in China was poor. Conclusion Medical service in China may take the following measures based on lessons from coal mining industry to improve its risk management: ① Strengthen the management of small clinics (68.24% of total medical organizations in China); ② Train doctors and nurses to upgrade their perception of medical risk; ③ Establish self-report system of medical malpractices, errors, and accidents.