title: MERIS (Medical Error Reporting Information System) as an innovative patient safety intervention: a health policy perspective.
abstract: The economic crisis in Greece poses the necessity to resolve problems concerning both the spiralling cost and the quality assurance in the health system. The detection and the analysis of patient adverse events and medical errors are considered crucial elements of this course. The implementation of MERIS embodies a mandatory module, which adopts the trigger tool methodology for measuring adverse events and medical errors an intensive care unit [ICU] environment, and a voluntary one with web-based public reporting methodology. A pilot implementation of MERIS running in a public hospital identified 35 adverse events, with approx. 12 additional hospital days and an extra healthcare cost of €12,000 per adverse event or of about €312,000 per annum for ICU costs only. At the same time, the voluntary module unveiled 510 reports on adverse events submitted by citizens or patients. MERIS has been evaluated as a comprehensive and effective system; it succeeded in detecting the main factors that cause adverse events and discloses severe omissions of the Greek health system. MERIS may be incorporated and run efficiently nationally, adapted to the needs and peculiarities of each hospital or clinic.
authors.affiliation: Health Economics, School of Economics, Business and International Studies, Department of Economics, University of Piraeus, 80, Karaoli & Dimitriou Street, 18534 Piraeus, Greece.
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Riga
authors.affiliation: Health Economics and Information Systems, School of Economics, Business and International Studies, Department of Economics, University of Piraeus, 80, Karaoli & Dimitriou Street, 18534 Piraeus, Greece.
authors.forename: Athanassios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vozikis
authors.affiliation: Strategic Management and Policy, School of Economics, Business and International Studies, Department of Economics, University of Piraeus, 80, Karaoli & Dimitriou Street, 18534 Piraeus, Greece.
authors.forename: Yannis
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Pollalis
authors.affiliation: Health Policy, Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Social and Educational Policy, University of Peloponnese, Damaskinou & Kolokotroni Str., 20100 Corinth, Greece. Electronic address: soulioti@hol.gr.
authors.forename: Kyriakos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Souliotis
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D008297:Male; D019221:Mandatory Reporting; D019300:Medical Errors / Q000145:classification; D008875:Middle Aged; D061214:Patient Safety; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D012308:Risk Management
keywords: Adverse events; Intensive care unit; Medical errors; Patient safety; Reporting system