Improving Patients\' Care through Electronic Medical Error Reporting System

Medical errors are unintentional acts that take place due to the negligence or lead to undesirable consequences in medical practice. The purpose of this study was to design a conceptual model for medical error reporting system. This applied descriptive cross-sectional research employed Delphi method carried out from 2012 to 2013. The study population was medical and paramedical personnel of health workers and paramedical personnel of hospitals, deputy of treatment, faculty members of Kashan University of Medical Sciences in addition to the internet and library resources. Sample size included 30 expert individuals in the field of medical errors. The one-stage stratified sampling procedure was used. The items with opposition ranging 0 to 25 were confirmed and those exceeding 50 were rejected whereas the items with the opposition 25 to 50 were reevaluated in the second session. This process continued for three times and the items that failed to be approved were eliminated in the model. Based on the results of this research, repeated informing about and reporting operation at on-line bases that have access to the incidence of error detected on time, identifying cause and damage due to the incidence reported confidential and anonymously immediately after the occurrence is necessary. Analysis of data quantitatively and qualitatively by using computer software is needed. Classifying the errors reports based on feedback provision according to the cause of error is needed. In addition, confidential report and possible manual retrieval were suggested It is essential to determine the means of reporting and items in the reporting form including time, cause and damage of medical error, media of reporting and method of recording and analysis.