Do Medical Inpatients Who Report Poor Service Quality Experience More Adverse Events and Medical Errors

Bibliographic Data

ID9104557
AuthorsBenjamin B Taylor (Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, corresponding author), Edward R Marcantonio (0000-0002-2911-4250, Harvard University, corresponding author), Odelya Pagovich, Odelya E Pagovich (0000-0002-9888-198X, Mount Sinai Beth Israel), Alexander Carbo, Alexander R Carbo (0000-0003-1873-0610, Harvard University, corresponding author), Margaret Bergmann, Margaret A Bergmann (Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, corresponding author), Roger B Davis (0000-0003-3330-3123, Harvard University, corresponding author), David W Bates (0000-0001-5440-6039, Brigham and Women's Hospital), Richard S Phillips (0000-0002-7281-7154, Harvard University, corresponding author), RUSSELL S PHILLIPS, Saul N Weingart (0000-0003-3262-9957, Harvard University)
Year2008
Volume46
Issue2
Pages224-228
Publication date2008-02-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueMedical Care (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0025-7079 • E-ISSN: 1537-1948
PublisherOvid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1097/mlr.0b013e3181589ba4
PMID18219252
OpenAlexW2002811227
LanguageEN
Citations received4
References cited21

PURPOSE: Service quality deficiencies are common in health care. However, little is known about the relationship between service quality and the occurrence of adverse events and medical errors. We hypothesized that patients who reported poor service quality were at increased risk of experiencing adverse events and medical errors. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Patients were interviewed during and after their admissions regarding problems experienced during the hospitalizations. We used this information to identify service quality deficiencies. We then performed a blinded, retrospective chart review to independently identify adverse events and errors. We used multivariable methods to analyze whether patients who reported service quality deficiencies (obtained by patient report) experienced any adverse event, close call, or low risk error (ascertained by chart review). RESULTS: The 228 participants (mean age 63 years, 37% male) reported 183 service quality deficiencies. Of the 52 incidents identified on chart review, patients experienced 34 adverse events, 11 close calls, and 7 low risk errors. The presence of any service quality deficiency more than doubled the odds of any adverse event, close call, or low risk error (adjusted odds ratio = 2.5; 95% confidence interval = 1.2-5.4). Service quality deficiencies involving poor coordination of care (adjusted odds ratio = 4.4; 95% confidence interval = 1.4-14.0) were associated with the occurrence of adverse events and medical errors. CONCLUSIONS: Patient-reported service quality deficiencies were associated with adverse events and medical errors. Patients who report service quality incidents may help to identify patient safety hazards

Adverse effect · Chart · Confidence interval · Family medicine · Health care · Logistic regression · Medical emergency · Medical record · Odds · Odds ratio · Patient safety · Statistics · Emergency Medicine · Hospital Admissions and Outcomes · Internal Medicine · Medicine · Patient Safety and Medication Errors · Patient Satisfaction in Healthcare