Identification and assessment of medical errors in the triage area of an educational hospital using the SHERPA technique in Iran.
Accidents caused by human error are prominent in the medical field. The present study identified medical errors in the emergency triage area by assessing the tasks of all healthcare workers employed in the triage area of an educational hospital in Tehran, Iran in 2014. Data were collected using the systematic human error reduction and prediction approach (SHERPA). The tasks and sub-tasks were determined and analyzed using hierarchical analysis and the errors were extracted. A total of 199 human errors were identified in the different tasks. The rate of error for action was 46.8%, checking was 25.6%, retrieval was 8.5%, communication was 12.1% and selection was 7%. Rate of unacceptable and unfavorable risks were 21.1% and 38.6%, respectively. SHERPA was shown to be an appropriate technique for detecting medical errors. The establishment of control programs should be a high priority in the management and implementation of health facilities in triage areas.
a Health Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical sciences , Tehran , Iran.
Mohammad
M
Ghasemi
b Department of Occupational Health , Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences and Health Services , Yazd , Iran.
Amir Hossein
AH
Khoshakhlagh
c Department of Emergency Medicine, Faculty of Medicine , Baqiyatallah University of Medical sciences , Tehran , Iran.
Sadrollah
S
Mahmudi
d Biostatistics Department, Faculty of Medical Sciences , TarbiatModares University , Tehran , Iran.
Mohammad Gholami
MG
Fesharaki
D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D008297:Male; D019300:Medical Errors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014218:Triage / Q000592:standards*
Iran; SHERPA; hierarchical task analysis; human error; medical error; triage area