Learning and feedback from the Danish patient safety incident reporting system can be improved.
BACKGROUND
The perceived usefulness of incident reporting systems is an important motivational factor for reporting. The usefulness may be facilitated by well-established feedback mechanisms and by learning processes. The aim of this study was to investigate how feedback mechanisms and learning processes were implemented at four Danish hospital units all located in one of the five Danish regions.


METHODS
Based on the concepts of feedback and learning from incident processes, a questionnaire was developed and distributed to 335 patient safety representatives from 200 departments at four Danish hospital units in one of the five Danish regions.


RESULTS
The study showed that external reporters were rarely contacted for dialogue, grouped front-line staff were sparsely involved in the learning process, few evaluated the effectiveness of implemented interventions and personal factors were frequently perceived as a primary contributory factor to these incidents. In contrast, the patient safety representatives perceived their competencies as sufficient for the job, internal reporters were often contacted for dialogue, evaluation was widely used and management supported the work with incident reports.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of the study identified several shortcomings in the implementation of learning processes and feedback mechanisms. The apparent existence of a person-focused approach stands out as an element of notice. The insufficient implementation we observed indicates that there is room for improvement in the efforts made to maximise learning from incidents in the investigated population.


BACKGROUND
not relevant.


BACKGROUND
not relevant.
anders.moeller@midt.rm.dk.
Anders Damgaard
AD
Moeller
Kurt
K
Rasmussen
Kent Jacob
KJ
Nielsen
D003718:Denmark; D005246:Feedback; D006757:Hospital Units; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D019300:Medical Errors; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D061214:Patient Safety; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D058996:Quality Improvement; D012308:Risk Management / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D017751:Safety Management / Q000379:methods*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires