QI Project Title: Establishing an Adverse Event/Incident Reporting Mechanism in a Private Health Facility in Ghana
Presented by: Mabel Adobea Owiredu, Quality Manager
“Adverse events or incidents are harms that affect patients when they come to the hospital, which [then] makes hospitals unsafe. Ironically, a place where patients should be safe,” Mabel says. “In joining the facility’s quality care department in 2021, it was observed that these incidents are left unreported which in turn tend to re-occur and cause harm to patients and staff,” she adds.
Through the implementation of an Adverse Event or Incident Reporting Mechanism in the facility, Mabel and Joy introduced an incident reporting protocol at FOCOS Orthopaedic Hospital. This initiative involved a multifaceted approach, including the evaluation of existing incident reporting forms, ongoing staff training and awareness efforts, and garnered key insights from the experience. The valuable lessons learned from this endeavour highlighted the significance of leadership support, mentorship, intrinsic motivation, and continuous training. Moreover, the development of clear and accessible guidelines played a pivotal role in enhancing compliance with pharmacovigilance procedures. The assertion that clear guidelines and protocols can streamline adverse event reporting, making it a more efficient and effective process, underscores the critical role of well-defined procedures in promoting a culture of continuous learning and improvement for both healthcare employees and management alike.
Watch Mabel’s submission video below:
However, there is a need for health facilities to pay closer attention and interest in adverse events and incident reporting mechanisms as one of the ways of continuously learning and improving their settings. It is also necessary that policymakers take note of adverse events and their harmful effects on healthcare and facilitate the development of appropriate policies to improve patient safety.
This is part of the storytelling contest submission for World Patient Safety Month. Read more here.
