AIIMS to keep tabs on medical errors

Institute becomes first Govt Hospital in India to implement patient safety programme.

New Delhi: A small medical error can prove fatal. But, to ''err'' is human, and the medical fraternity says it is high time this is realised and appropriate steps are taken to reduce the scope of error in medical treatment and ensure patient safety.

At the ongoing South Asian conference and CME on synergy in Healthcare ( SASHCON -2008) at the All India Institute of Medial Sciences, the theme is: Planning and designing of speciality healthcare facilities, safe hospitals and patient safety. In fact, AIIMS in India's first govt hospital to have implemented a patient safety programme at its Cardio thoracic and vascular surgery (CTVS) centre.

Studies have shown medical negligence to be one of the leading causes of death in USA and UK. Approximately two billion dollars is spent annually on additional stay in hospitals due to medical errors. Similarly, a report by the Institute of Medicine ( IOM) of the National Academy of Sciences shows nearly 98,000 preventable deaths occur annually due to medical error and 7,000 preventable deaths related to medication errors alone.

In the 90s, the medical community realised the seriousness of the problem, following reports on medical errors from various countries. But the irony is that there is no such system in place in India.

"There is an urgent need to ensure patient safety. There is a need to keep record for all wrong surgeries, over-medication, timely checking of patient's medical parameters etc. Unlike US and UK, which have a rough estimate of deaths due to medical negligence, we don't know where we stand," said Dr Shakti Gupta, head of the dept. hospital administration, AIIMS and the organizing chairman of SASHCON-2008.

Earlier this year, St Stephen's Hospital participated in the pilot project in patient safety under WHO.

Dr Sudhir Jospeh, medical director, St Stephen's hospital said, " We had studied 1,000 patients before and after surgery. A checklist was prepared for all patients who underwent a surgery and we monitored all the parameters both before and after the surgery. We monitored the dose of medicine given to the patient, patient care post-surgery among other thigs. This helps in reducing the scope of error."

Inspired by the project, AIIMS implemented a similar programme at the CTVS unit. The findings of the project would be presented at SASHCON 2008. It is estimated that one in 10 people receiving healthcare in developing countries suffers preventable harm. "In developing countries, the incidence of medical negligence is much higher. There is a dire need to implement patient safety programmes," said Dr Gupta.