Adverse events in British hospitals: preliminary retrospective record review.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the feasibility of detecting adverse events through record review in British hospitals and to make preliminary estimates of the incidence and costs of adverse events.


METHODS
Retrospective review of 1014 medical and nursing records.


METHODS
Two acute hospitals in Greater London area.


METHODS
Number of adverse events.


RESULTS
110 (10.8%) patients experienced an adverse event, with an overall rate of adverse events of 11.7% when multiple adverse events were included. About half of these events were judged preventable with ordinary standards of care. A third of adverse events led to moderate or greater disability or death.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that adverse events are a serious source of harm to patients and a large drain on NHS resources. Some are major events; others are frequent, minor events that go unnoticed in routine clinical care but together have massive economic consequences.
Vincent
C
C
Clinical Risk Unit, Department of Psychology, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK. c.vincent@ucl.ac.uk
Neale
G
G
Woloshynowych
M
M
D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D003625:Data Collection / Q000379:methods*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D006769:Hospitals, General; D006783:Hospitals, State; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D019300:Medical Errors / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008499:Medical Records; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D006113:United Kingdom