Sample records for incident reporting system

  1. Lexington incident detection system evaluation report : final report.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2005-11-01

    This report describes the evaluation of an experimental incident detection system implemented within the Lexington/Fayette County area by the Lexington Fayette Urban County Government Department of Traffic Engineering. The incident detection system i...

  2. A critical incident reporting system in anaesthesia.

    PubMed

    Madzimbamuto, F D; Chiware, R

    2001-01-01

    To audit the recently established Critical Incident Reporting System in the Department of Anaesthesia and Critical Care Medicine, University of Zimbabwe Medical School. The system was set up with the purpose of improving the quality of care delivered by the department. Cross sectional study. A critical incident was defined as 'any adverse and reversible event in theatre, during or immediately after surgery that if it persisted without correction would cause harm to the patient'. The anaesthetic or recovery room staff filled a critical incident form anonymously. Data was collected from critical incident reporting forms for analysis. The anaesthetic service in the two teaching hospitals of Harare Central and Parirenyatwa General Hospitals. Between May and October 2000, 62 completed critical incident forms were collected. The nature of the incident and the monitoring used were recorded, the cause was classified as human, equipment or monitoring failure and the outcome for each patient reported. There was no formal system for reminding staff to fill in their critical incident forms. A total of 14,165 operations were performed over the reporting period: 62 critical incident forms were collected, reporting 130 incidents, giving a rate of 0.92% (130/14,165). Of these, 42 patients were emergencies and 20 elective. The incidents were hypotension, hypoxia, bradycardia, ECG changes, aspiration, laryngospasm, high spinal, and cardiac arrest. Monitoring present on patients who had critical incidents was: capnography 57%, oxymetry 90% and ECG 100%. Other monitors are not reported. Human error contributed in 32/62 of patients and equipment failure in 31/62 of patients. Patient outcome showed 15% died, 23% were unplanned admissions to HDU while 62% were discharged to the ward with little or no adverse outcome. Despite some under reporting, the critical incident rate was within the range reported in the literature. Supervision of juniors is not adequate, especially on call. The

  3. The development of an incident event reporting system for nursing students.

    PubMed

    Chiou, Shwu-Fen; Huang, Ean-Wen; Chuang, Jen-Hsiang

    2009-01-01

    Incident events may occur when nursing students are present in the clinical setting. Their inexperience and unfamiliarity with clinical practice put them at risk for making mistakes that could potentially harm patients and themselves. However, there are deficiencies with incident event reporting systems, including incomplete data and delayed reports. The purpose of this study was to develop an incident event reporting system for nursing students in clinical settings and evaluate its effectiveness. This study was undertaken in three phases. In the first phase, a literature review and focus groups were used to develop the architecture of the reporting system. In the second phase, the reporting system was implemented. Data from incident events that involved nursing students were collected for a 12-month period. In the third phase, a pre-post trial was undertaken to evaluate the performance of the reporting system. The ASP.NET software and Microsoft Access 2003 were used to create an interactive web-based interface and design a database for the reporting system. Email notifications alerted the nursing student's teacher when an incident event was reported. One year after installing the reporting system, the number of reported incident events increased tenfold. However, the time to report the incident event and the time required to complete the reporting procedures were shorter than before implementation of the reporting system. The incident event reporting system appeared to be effective in more comprehensively reporting the number of incident events and shorten the time required for reporting them compared to traditional written reports.

  4. The evaluation of a web-based incident reporting system.

    PubMed

    Kuo, Ya-Hui; Lee, Ting-Ting; Mills, Mary Etta; Lin, Kuan-Chia

    2012-07-01

    A Web-based reporting system is essential to report incident events anonymously and confidentially. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a Web-based reporting system in Taiwan. User satisfaction and impact of system use were evaluated through a survey answered by 249 nurses. Incident events reported in paper and electronic systems were collected for comparison purposes. Study variables included system user satisfaction, willingness to report, number of reports, severity of the events, and efficiency of the reporting process. Results revealed that senior nurses were less willing to report events, nurses on internal medicine units had higher satisfaction than others, and lowest satisfaction was related to the time it took to file a report. In addition, the Web-based reporting system was used more often than the paper system. The percentages of events reported were significantly higher in the Web-based system in laboratory, environment/device, and incidents occurring in other units, whereas the proportions of reports involving bedsores and dislocation of endotracheal tubes were decreased. Finally, moderate injury event reporting decreased, whereas minor or minimal injury event reporting increased. The study recommends that the data entry process be simplified and the network system be improved to increase user satisfaction and reporting rates.

  5. Early Warning: Development of Confidential Incident Reporting Systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    OLeary, Mike J.; Chappell, Sheryl L.; Connell, Linda (Technical Monitor)

    1996-01-01

    Accidents hardly ever happen without warning. The combination, or sequence, of failures and mistakes that cause an accident may indeed be unique but the individual failures and mistakes rarely are. In the USA in 1974 the crews on two different aircraft misunderstood the same aeronautical chart and descended towards their destination dangerously early towards a mountain. The first crew were in good weather conditions and could see the mountain and resolved their misinterpretation of the chart. The second crew six weeks later were not so lucky. In cloud they had no clues to point out their mistake nor the presence of the mountain. The resulting crash and the ensuing inquiry, which brought to light the previous incident, shocked the country but gave it the impetus to instigate a safety reporting system. This system eventually became the NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS). The programme collects incident reports from pilots, controllers, mechanics, cabin attendants and many others involved in aviation operations. By disseminating this safety information the ASRS has helped enormously to give US airlines and airspace the highest safety standards. Accident prevention is a goal sought by everyone in the aviation industry and establishing effective incident reporting programmes can go a long way toward achieving that goal. This article will describe the steps and issues required to establish an incident reporting system. The authors summarize the lessons learned from the ASRS, now in its twentieth year of operation and from the Confidential Human Factors Reporting (HER) Programme run by British Airways, an airline that is a recognized world leader in safety reporting and analysis. The differences between government and airline operation of confidential safety reporting systems will be addressed.

  6. EMS helicopter incidents reported to the NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Connell, Linda J.; Reynard, William D.

    1993-01-01

    The objectives of this evaluation were to: Identify the types of safety-related incidents reported to the Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) in Emergency Medical Service (EMS) helicopter operations; Describe the operational conditions surrounding these incidents, such as weather, airspace, flight phase, time of day; and Assess the contribution to these incidents of selected human factors considerations, such as communication, distraction, time pressure, workload, and flight/duty impact.

  7. Attitudes toward the large-scale implementation of an incident reporting system.

    PubMed

    Braithwaite, Jeffrey; Westbrook, Mary; Travaglia, Joanne

    2008-06-01

    An electronic Incident Information Management System implemented system-wide by the Department of Health, New South Wales, Australia was evaluated. We hypothesized that health professionals (i) would support the system via utilization and favourable attitudes and (ii) that their usage and attitudes would vary according to profession with nurses being most, and doctors least, favourably disposed. An online, anonymous questionnaire survey of 2185 health practitioners. Undertaking system training, satisfaction with training, reporting incidents, incident reporting rates since system introduction and attitude questions focusing on use, security and evaluation of the system and workplace safety cultures. The first hypothesis received partial support. The majority of respondents had undertaken training and rated it highly. Most had reported incidents and maintained their previous reporting levels. Most attitudes regarding using the system and its security were favourable. Mixed attitudes were held about workplace safety cultures and the value of the system. Deficiencies in quality of reporting, feedback on incident reports and resources to analyse incident data were problems identified. The second hypothesis was confirmed. Nurses were most, and doctors least, likely to undertake training, report incidents and express favourable attitudes. Allied health responses were intermediate to those of the other professions. The system implementation was relatively successful, but more so with some professions. Problems identified indicated that expectations as to the goals achievable in the short term were optimistic, but these are amenable to planned interventions.

  8. Do we need a national incident reporting system for medical imaging?

    PubMed

    Itri, Jason N; Krishnaraj, Arun

    2012-05-01

    The essential role of an incident reporting system as a tool to improve safety and reliability has been described in high-risk industries such as aviation and nuclear power, with anesthesia being the first medical specialty to successfully integrate incident reporting into a comprehensive quality improvement strategy. Establishing an incident reporting system for medical imaging that effectively captures system errors and drives improvement in the delivery of imaging services is a key component of developing and evaluating national quality improvement initiatives in radiology. Such a national incident reporting system would be most effective if implemented as one piece of a comprehensive quality improvement strategy designed to enhance knowledge about safety, identify and learn from errors, raise standards and expectations for improvement, and create safer systems through implementation of safe practices. The potential benefits of a national incident reporting system for medical imaging include reduced morbidity and mortality, improved patient and referring physician satisfaction, reduced health care expenses and medical liability costs, and improved radiologist satisfaction. The purposes of this article are to highlight the positive impact of external reporting systems, discuss how similar advancements in quality and safety can be achieved with an incident reporting system for medical imaging in the United States, and describe current efforts within the imaging community toward achieving this goal. Copyright © 2012 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Implementation of a critical incident reporting system in a neurosurgical department.

    PubMed

    Kantelhardt, P; Müller, M; Giese, A; Rohde, V; Kantelhardt, S R

    2011-02-01

    Critical incident monitoring is an important tool for quality improvement and the maintenance of high safety standards. It was developed for aviation safety and is now widely accepted as a useful tool to reduce medical care-related morbidity and mortality. Despite this widespread acceptance, the literature has no reports on any neurosurgical applications of critical incident monitoring. We describe the introduction of a mono-institutional critical incident reporting system in a neurosurgical department. Furthermore, we have developed a formula to assess possible counterstrategies. All staff members of a neurosurgical department were advised to report critical incidents. The anonymous reporting form contained a box for the description of the incident, several multiple-choice questions on specific risk factors, place and reason for occurrence of the incident, severity of the consequences and suggested counterstrategies. The incident data was entered into an online documentation system (ADKA DokuPik) and evaluated by an external specialist. For data analysis we applied a modified assessment scheme initially designed for flight safety. Data collection was started in September 2008. The average number of reported incidents was 18 per month (currently 216 in total). Most incidents occurred on the neurosurgical ward (64%). Human error was involved in 86% of the reported incidents. The largest group of incidents consisted of medication-related problems. Accordingly, counterstrategies were developed, resulting in a decrease in the relative number of reported medication-related incidents from 42% (March 09) to 30% (September 09). Implementation of the critical incident reporting system presented no technical problems. The reporting rate was high compared to that reported in the current literature. The formulation, evaluation and introduction of specific counterstrategies to guard against selected groups of incidents may improve patient safety in neurosurgical departments.

  10. An Evaluation of Departmental Radiation Oncology Incident Reports: Anticipating a National Reporting System

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Terezakis, Stephanie A., E-mail: stereza1@jhmi.edu; Harris, Kendra M.; Ford, Eric

    Purpose: Systems to ensure patient safety are of critical importance. The electronic incident reporting systems (IRS) of 2 large academic radiation oncology departments were evaluated for events that may be suitable for submission to a national reporting system (NRS). Methods and Materials: All events recorded in the combined IRS were evaluated from 2007 through 2010. Incidents were graded for potential severity using the validated French Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) 5-point scale. These incidents were categorized into 7 groups: (1) human error, (2) software error, (3) hardware error, (4) error in communication between 2 humans, (5) error at the human-software interface,more » (6) error at the software-hardware interface, and (7) error at the human-hardware interface. Results: Between the 2 systems, 4407 incidents were reported. Of these events, 1507 (34%) were considered to have the potential for clinical consequences. Of these 1507 events, 149 (10%) were rated as having a potential severity of ≥2. Of these 149 events, the committee determined that 79 (53%) of these events would be submittable to a NRS of which the majority was related to human error or to the human-software interface. Conclusions: A significant number of incidents were identified in this analysis. The majority of events in this study were related to human error and to the human-software interface, further supporting the need for a NRS to facilitate field-wide learning and system improvement.« less

  11. Human Factors of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems: Lessons from Incident Reports

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hobbs, Alan; Null, Cynthia

    2016-01-01

    An exploratory study is being conducted to examine the feasibility of collecting voluntary critical incident reports from RPAS pilots. Twenty-three experienced RPAS pilots volunteered to participate in focus groups in which they described critical incidents from their own experience. Participants were asked to recall (1) incidents that revealed a system flaw, or (2) highlighted a case where the human operator contributed to system resilience or mission success. Participants were asked to only report incidents that could be included in a public document. A total of 90 incidents were reported. Human factor issues included the impact of reduced sensory cues, traffic separation in the absence of an out-the-window view, control latencies, vigilance during monotonous and ultra-long endurance flights, control station design considerations, transfer of control between control stations, the management of lost link procedures, and decision-making during emergencies.

  12. Critical incident reporting and learning.

    PubMed

    Mahajan, R P

    2010-07-01

    The success of incident reporting in improving safety, although obvious in aviation and other high-risk industries, is yet to be seen in health-care systems. An incident reporting system which would improve patient safety would allow front-end clinicians to have easy access for reporting an incident with an understanding that their report will be handled in a non-punitive manner, and that it will lead to enhanced learning regarding the causation of the incident and systemic changes which will prevent it from recurring. At present, significant problems remain with local and national incident reporting systems. These include fear of punitive action, poor safety culture in an organization, lack of understanding among clinicians about what should be reported, lack of awareness of how the reported incidents will be analysed, and how will the reports ultimately lead to changes which will improve patient safety. In particular, lack of systematic analysis of the reports and feedback directly to the clinicians are seen as major barriers to clinical engagement. In this review, robust systematic methodology of analysing incidents is discussed. This methodology is based on human factors model, and the learning paradigm which emphasizes significant shift from traditional judicial approach to understanding how 'latent errors' may play a role in a chain of events which can set up an 'active error' to occur. Feedback directly to the clinicians is extremely important for keeping them 'in the loop' for their continued engagement, and it should target different levels of analyses. In addition to high-level information on the types of incidents, the feedback should incorporate results of the analyses of active and latent factors. Finally, it should inform what actions, and at what level/stage, have been taken in response to the reported incidents. For this, local and national systems will be required to work in close cooperation, so that the lessons can be learnt and actions taken

  13. Surface Movement Incidents Reported to the NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Connell, Linda J.; Hubener, Simone

    1997-01-01

    Increasing numbers of aircraft are operating on the surface of airports throughout the world. Airport operations are forecast to grow by more that 50%, by the year 2005. Airport surface movement traffic would therefore be expected to become increasingly congested. Safety of these surface operations will become a focus as airport capacity planning efforts proceed toward the future. Several past events highlight the prevailing risks experienced while moving aircraft during ground operations on runways, taxiways, and other areas at terminal, gates, and ramps. The 1994 St. Louis accident between a taxiing Cessna crossing an active runway and colliding with a landing MD-80 emphasizes the importance of a fail-safe system for airport operations. The following study explores reports of incidents occurring on an airport surface that did not escalate to an accident event. The Aviation Safety Reporting System has collected data on surface movement incidents since 1976. This study sampled the reporting data from June, 1993 through June, 1994. The coding of the data was accomplished in several categories. The categories include location of airport, phase of ground operation, weather /lighting conditions, ground conflicts, flight crew characteristics, human factor considerations, and airport environment. These comparisons and distributions of variables contributing to surface movement incidents can be invaluable to future airport planning, accident prevention efforts, and system-wide improvements.

  14. A review and discussion of flight management system incidents reported to the Aviation Safety Reporting System

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1992-02-01

    This report covers the activities related to the description, classification and : analysis of the types and kinds of flight crew errors, incidents and actions, as : reported to the Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) database, that can occur as ...

  15. Benchmarking surgical incident reports using a database and a triage system to reduce adverse outcomes.

    PubMed

    Antonacci, Anthony C; Lam, Steven; Lavarias, Valentina; Homel, Peter; Eavey, Roland D

    2008-12-01

    To study the profile of incidents affecting quality outcomes after surgery by developing a usable operating room and perioperative clinical incident report database and a functional electronic classification, triage, and reporting system. Previously, incident reports after surgery were handled on an individual, episodic basis, which limited the ability to perceive actuarial patterns and meaningfully improve outcomes. Clinical incident reports were experientially generated in the second largest health care system in New York City. Data were entered into a functional classification system organized into 16 categories, and weekly triage meetings were held to electronically review and report summaries on 40 to 60 incident reports per week. System development and deployment reviewed 1041 reports after 19,693 operative procedures. During the next 4 years, 3819 additional reports were generated from 83,988 operative procedures and were reported electronically to the appropriate departments. Number of incident reports generated annually. A significant decrease in volume-adjusted clinical incident reports occurred (from 53 to 39 reports per 1000 procedures) from 2001 to 2005 (P < .001). Reductions in incident reports were observed for ambulatory conversions (74% reduction), wasted implants (65%), skin breakdown (64%), complications in the operating room (42%), laparoscopic conversions (32%), and cancellations (23%) as a result of data-focused process and clinical interventions. Six of 16 categories of incident reports accounted for more than 88% of all incident reports. These data suggest that effective review, communication, and summary feedback of clinical incident reports can produce a statistically significant decrease in adverse outcomes.

  16. Sci-Fri AM: Quality, Safety, and Professional Issues 06: An Evaluation of Incident Reporting and Learning using the Canadian National System for Incident Reporting – Radiation Treatment

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Montgomery, Logan; Kildea, John

    We report on the development and clinical deployment of an in-house incident reporting and learning system that implements the taxonomy of the Canadian National System for Incident Reporting – Radiation Treatment (NSIR-RT). In producing our new system, we aimed to: Analyze actual incidents, as well as potentially dangerous latent conditions. Produce recommendations on the NSIR-RT taxonomy. Incorporate features to divide reporting responsibility among clinical staff and expedite incident categorization within the NSIR-RT framework. Share anonymized incident data with the national database. Our multistep incident reporting workflow is focused around an initial report and a detailed follow-up investigation. An investigator, chosenmore » at the time of reporting, is tasked with performing the investigation. The investigation feature is connected to our electronic medical records database to allow automatic field population and quick reference of patient and treatment information. Additional features include a robust visualization suite, as well as the ability to flag incidents for discussion at monthly Risk Management meetings and task ameliorating actions to staff. Our system was deployed into clinical use in January 2016. Over the first three months of use, 45 valid incidents were reported; 31 of which were reported as actual incidents as opposed to near-misses or reportable circumstances. However, we suspect there is ambiguity within our centre in determining the appropriate event type, which may be arising from the taxonomy itself. Preliminary trending analysis aided in revealing workflow issues pertaining to storage of treatment accessories and treatment planning delays. Extensive analysis will be undertaken as more data are accrued.« less

  17. 49 CFR 191.9 - Distribution system: Incident report.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 3 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Distribution system: Incident report. 191.9 Section 191.9 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) PIPELINE AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SAFETY ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (CONTINUED) PIPELINE SAFETY TRANSPORTATION OF NATURAL AND OTHER GAS BY PIPELINE;...

  18. Can incident reporting improve safety? Healthcare practitioners' views of the effectiveness of incident reporting.

    PubMed

    Anderson, Janet E; Kodate, Naonori; Walters, Rhiannon; Dodds, Anneliese

    2013-04-01

    Recent critiques of incident reporting suggest that its role in managing safety has been over emphasized. The objective of this study was to examine the perceived effectiveness of incident reporting in improving safety in mental health and acute hospital settings by asking staff about their perceptions and experiences. Qualitative research design using documentary analysis and semi-structured interviews. Two large teaching hospitals in London; one providing acute and the other mental healthcare. Sixty-two healthcare practitioners with experience of reporting and analysing incidents. Incident reporting was perceived as having a positive effect on safety, not only by leading to changes in care processes but also by changing staff attitudes and knowledge. Staff discussed examples of both instrumental and conceptual uses of the knowledge generated by incident reports. There are difficulties in using incident reports to improve safety in healthcare at all stages of the incident reporting process. Differences in the risks encountered and the organizational systems developed in the two hospitals to review reported incidents could be linked to the differences we found in attitudes to incident reporting between the two hospitals. Incident reporting can be a powerful tool for developing and maintaining an awareness of risks in healthcare practice. Using incident reports to improve care is challenging and the study highlighted the complexities involved and the difficulties faced by staff in learning from incident data.

  19. 49 CFR 191.15 - Transmission systems; gathering systems; and liquefied natural gas facilities: Incident report.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... under § 191.5 of this part. (b) LNG. Each operator of a liquefied natural gas plant or facility must... liquefied natural gas facilities: Incident report. 191.15 Section 191.15 Transportation Other Regulations...; gathering systems; and liquefied natural gas facilities: Incident report. (a) Transmission or Gathering...

  20. Development of an online incident-reporting system for management of medical risks at hospital.

    PubMed

    Kanda, Hirohito

    2011-01-01

      To minimize their occurrence, it is important to gather and analyze data regarding cases of not only medical accidents but also of incidents involving potential harm to patients. In gathering data, we have separated reporting between the details of such incidents and information about their occurrence. We have implemented a system involving a first report to achieve prompt notification and a second report to provide details. An online report input system has been established taking into consideration both ease of input and promptness of information sharing. We discuss the input of the first and second reports in a total of 951 cases over a period of 6 months. From the data regarding the timing of the first report, 307 and 789 cases were reported within 24 h and 48 h, respectively, indicating that the first report was input mostly without delay in accordance with the operational guidelines. On the other hand, it took 14 days to surpass a second report rate of 80%. Cases that took more than 2 weeks to be reported would likely have gone unreported had there not been a first report to indicate and confirm that an incident had even occurred. Investigation is needed, especially for problematic cases, so we assume that discovering important incidents via the first report has been successful. In addition, details of incidents can be input into this system in free-text, yielding information that cannot be acquired with multiple choice input as in standard reporting systems.

  1. SU-E-T-524: Web-Based Radiation Oncology Incident Reporting and Learning System (ROIRLS)

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kapoor, R; Palta, J; Hagan, M

    Purpose: Describe a Web-based Radiation Oncology Incident Reporting and Learning system that has the potential to improve quality of care for radiation therapy patients. This system is an important facet of continuing effort by our community to maintain and improve safety of radiotherapy.Material and Methods: The VA National Radiation Oncology Program office has embarked on a program to electronically collect adverse events and near miss data of radiation treatment of over 25,000 veterans treated with radiotherapy annually. Software used for this program is deployed on the VAs intranet as a Website. All data entry forms (adverse event or near missmore » reports, work product reports) utilize standard causal, RT process step taxonomies and data dictionaries defined in AAPM and ASTRO reports on error reporting (AAPM Work Group Report on Prevention of Errors and ASTROs safety is no accident report). All reported incidents are investigated by the radiation oncology domain experts. This system encompasses the entire feedback loop of reporting an incident, analyzing it for salient details, and developing interventions to prevent it from happening again. The operational workflow is similar to that of the Aviation Safety Reporting System. This system is also synergistic with ROSIS and SAFRON. Results: The ROIRLS facilitates the collection of data that help in tracking adverse events and near misses and develop new interventions to prevent such incidents. The ROIRLS electronic infrastructure is fully integrated with each registered facility profile data thus minimizing key strokes and multiple entries by the event reporters. Conclusions: OIRLS is expected to improve the quality and safety of a broad spectrum of radiation therapy patients treated in the VA and fulfills our goal of Effecting Quality While Treating Safely The Radiation Oncology Incident Reporting and Learning System software used for this program has been developed, conceptualized and maintained by TSG

  2. Bus incident reporting, tracking and analysis system

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2006-08-01

    Many Florida transit systems do little formal analysis of all accidents on an aggregate basis. In many transit system accidents and incidents are not being tracked or analyzed to identify common trends from types of incidents, location, driver, bus r...

  3. Patient Safety Incident Reporting: Current Trends and Gaps Within the Canadian Health System.

    PubMed

    Boucaud, Sarah; Dorschner, Danielle

    2016-01-01

    Patient safety incidents are a national-level phenomenon, requiring a pan-Canadian approach to ensure that incidents are reported and lessons are learned and broadly disseminated. This work explores the variation in current provincial and local approaches to reporting through a literature review. Trends are consolidated and recommendations are offered to foster better alignment of existing systems. These include adopting a common terminology, defining the patient role in reporting, increasing system users' perception of safety and further investigating the areas of home and community care in ensuring standard approaches at the local level. These steps can promote alignment, reducing barriers to a future pan-Canadian reporting and learning system.

  4. Reporter Concerns in 300 Mode-Related Incident Reports from NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    McGreevy, Michael W.

    1996-01-01

    A model has been developed which represents prominent reporter concerns expressed in the narratives of 300 mode-related incident reports from NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS). The model objectively quantifies the structure of concerns which persist across situations and reporters. These concerns are described and illustrated using verbatim sentences from the original narratives. Report accession numbers are included with each sentence so that concerns can be traced back to the original reports. The results also include an inventory of mode names mentioned in the narratives, and a comparison of individual and joint concerns. The method is based on a proximity-weighted co-occurrence metric and object-oriented complexity reduction.

  5. Contributory factors in surgical incidents as delineated by a confidential reporting system.

    PubMed

    Mushtaq, F; O'Driscoll, C; Smith, Fct; Wilkins, D; Kapur, N; Lawton, R

    2018-05-01

    Background Confidential reporting systems play a key role in capturing information about adverse surgical events. However, the value of these systems is limited if the reports that are generated are not subjected to systematic analysis. The aim of this study was to provide the first systematic analysis of data from a novel surgical confidential reporting system to delineate contributory factors in surgical incidents and document lessons that can be learned. Methods One-hundred and forty-five patient safety incidents submitted to the UK Confidential Reporting System for Surgery over a 10-year period were analysed using an adapted version of the empirically-grounded Yorkshire Contributory Factors Framework. Results The most common factors identified as contributing to reported surgical incidents were cognitive limitations (30.09%), communication failures (16.11%) and a lack of adherence to established policies and procedures (8.81%). The analysis also revealed that adverse events were only rarely related to an isolated, single factor (20.71%) - with the majority of cases involving multiple contributory factors (79.29% of all cases had more than one contributory factor). Examination of active failures - those closest in time and space to the adverse event - pointed to frequent coupling with latent, systems-related contributory factors. Conclusions Specific patterns of errors often underlie surgical adverse events and may therefore be amenable to targeted intervention, including particular forms of training. The findings in this paper confirm the view that surgical errors tend to be multi-factorial in nature, which also necessitates a multi-disciplinary and system-wide approach to bringing about improvements.

  6. Medication incidents related to automated dose dispensing in community pharmacies and hospitals--a reporting system study.

    PubMed

    Cheung, Ka-Chun; van den Bemt, Patricia M L A; Bouvy, Marcel L; Wensing, Michel; De Smet, Peter A G M

    2014-01-01

    Automated dose dispensing (ADD) is being introduced in several countries and the use of this technology is expected to increase as a growing number of elderly people need to manage their medication at home. ADD aims to improve medication safety and treatment adherence, but it may introduce new safety issues. This descriptive study provides insight into the nature and consequences of medication incidents related to ADD, as reported by healthcare professionals in community pharmacies and hospitals. The medication incidents that were submitted to the Dutch Central Medication incidents Registration (CMR) reporting system were selected and characterized independently by two researchers. Person discovering the incident, phase of the medication process in which the incident occurred, immediate cause of the incident, nature of incident from the healthcare provider's perspective, nature of incident from the patient's perspective, and consequent harm to the patient caused by the incident. From January 2012 to February 2013 the CMR received 15,113 incidents: 3,685 (24.4%) incidents from community pharmacies and 11,428 (75.6%) incidents from hospitals. Eventually 1 of 50 reported incidents (268/15,113 = 1.8%) were related to ADD; in community pharmacies more incidents (227/3,685 = 6.2%) were related to ADD than in hospitals (41/11,428 = 0.4%). The immediate cause of an incident was often a change in the patient's medicine regimen or relocation. Most reported incidents occurred in two phases: entering the prescription into the pharmacy information system and filling the ADD bag. A proportion of incidents was related to ADD and is reported regularly, especially by community pharmacies. In two phases, entering the prescription into the pharmacy information system and filling the ADD bag, most incidents occurred. A change in the patient's medicine regimen or relocation was the immediate causes of an incident.

  7. SU-E-P-07: Retrospective Analysis of Incident Reports at a Radiology Department: Feedback From Incident Reporting System

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kakinohana, Y; Toita, T; Heianna, J

    Purpose: To provide an overview of reported incidents that occurred in a radiology department and to describe the most common causal source of incidents. Methods: Incident reports from the radiology department at the University of the Ryukyus Hospital between 2008 and 2013 were collected and analyzed retrospectively. The incident report form contains the following items, causal factors of the incident and desirable corrective actions to prevent recurrence of similar incidents. These items allow the institution to investigate/analyze root causes of the incidents and suggest measures to be taken to prevent further, similar incidents. The ‘causal factors of the incident’ itemmore » comprises multiple selections from among 24 selections and includes some synonymous selections. In this study, this item was re-categorized into four causal source types: (i) carelessness, (ii) lack of skill or knowledge, (iii) deficiencies in communication, and (iv) external factors. Results: There were a total of 7490 incident reports over the study period and 276 (3.7%) were identified as originating from the radiology department. The most frequent causal source type was carelessness (62%). The other three types showed similar frequencies (10–14%). The staff members involved in incidents indicate three predominant desirable corrective actions to prevent or decrease the recurrence of similar incidents. These are ‘improvement in communication’ (24%), ‘staff training/education’ (19%), and ‘daily medical procedures’ (22%), and the most frequent was ‘improvement in communication’. Even though the most frequent causal factor was related to carelessness, the most desirable corrective action indicated by the staff members was related to communication. Conclusion: Our finding suggests that the most immediate causes are strongly related to carelessness. However, the most likely underlying causes of incidents would be related to deficiencies in effective communication. At

  8. Development of Incident Report Database for Organizational Learning

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Otsuka, Yuichi; Abe, Tomotaka; Noguchi, Hiroshi; Makinouchi, Akifumi

    The necessity of an incident reporting system has recently been increasing for hospitals. Japan Council for Quality Health Care (JCQHC) started operating a national incident reporting system to which domestic hospitals would report their incidents. However, the reporting system obtained an additional problem for the hospitals. They managed their own systems which collected reports by papers. The purposes of the reporting systems was to analyze considerable causes involved in incidents to improve the quality of patient safety management. On the contrary, the national reporting system aimed at collecting a statistical tendency of normal incidents. Simultaneously operating the two systems would be too much workload for safety managers. The load may have the managers rest only a short time for summarizing occurrences, not enough for analyzing their causes. However, to the authors' knowledge, there has not been an integrating policy of the two forms to adapt them to practical situations in patient safety management. The scope of this paper is to establish the integrated form in order to use in analyzing the causes of incidents as well as reporting for the national system. We have developed new data base system using XML + XSLT and Java Servlet. The developed system is composed of three computers; DB server , DB client and Data sending server. To investigate usability of the developed system, we conducted a monitoring test by real workers in reporting workplaces. The result of subjective evaluations by examinees was so preferable for the developed system. The results of usability test and the achievement of increasing the number of reports after the introduction can demonstrate the enough effectiveness of the developed system for supporting the activity of patient safety management.

  9. Reporting Pesticide Incidents

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Pesticides incidents must be reported by pesticide registrants. Others, such as members of the public and environmental professionals, would like to report pesticide incidents. This website will facilitate such incident reporting.

  10. Medical students' perceptions of a novel institutional incident reporting system : A thematic analysis.

    PubMed

    Gordon, Morris; Parakh, Dillan

    2017-10-01

    Errors in healthcare are a major patient safety issue, with incident reporting a key solution. The incident reporting system has been integrated within a new medical curriculum, encouraging medical students to take part in this key safety process. The aim of this study was to describe the system and assess how students perceived the reporting system with regards to its role in enhancing safety. Employing a thematic analysis, this study used interviews with medical students at the end of the first year. Thematic indices were developed according to the information emerging from the data. Through open, axial and then selective stages of coding, an understanding of how the system was perceived was established. Analysis of the interview specified five core themes: (1) Aims of the incident reporting system; (2) internalized cognition of the system; (3) the impact of the reporting system; (4) threshold for reporting; (5) feedback on the systems operation. Selective analysis revealed three overriding findings: lack of error awareness and error wisdom as underpinned by key theoretical constructs, student support of the principle of safety, and perceptions of a blame culture. Students did not interpret reporting as a manner to support institutional learning and safety, rather many perceived it as a tool for a blame culture. The impact reporting had on students was unexpected and may give insight into how other undergraduates and early graduates interpret such a system. Future studies should aim to produce interventions that can support a reporting culture.

  11. Medication Incidents Related to Automated Dose Dispensing in Community Pharmacies and Hospitals - A Reporting System Study

    PubMed Central

    Cheung, Ka-Chun; van den Bemt, Patricia M. L. A.; Bouvy, Marcel L.; Wensing, Michel; De Smet, Peter A. G. M.

    2014-01-01

    Introduction Automated dose dispensing (ADD) is being introduced in several countries and the use of this technology is expected to increase as a growing number of elderly people need to manage their medication at home. ADD aims to improve medication safety and treatment adherence, but it may introduce new safety issues. This descriptive study provides insight into the nature and consequences of medication incidents related to ADD, as reported by healthcare professionals in community pharmacies and hospitals. Methods The medication incidents that were submitted to the Dutch Central Medication incidents Registration (CMR) reporting system were selected and characterized independently by two researchers. Main Outcome Measures Person discovering the incident, phase of the medication process in which the incident occurred, immediate cause of the incident, nature of incident from the healthcare provider's perspective, nature of incident from the patient's perspective, and consequent harm to the patient caused by the incident. Results From January 2012 to February 2013 the CMR received 15,113 incidents: 3,685 (24.4%) incidents from community pharmacies and 11,428 (75.6%) incidents from hospitals. Eventually 1 of 50 reported incidents (268/15,113 = 1.8%) were related to ADD; in community pharmacies more incidents (227/3,685 = 6.2%) were related to ADD than in hospitals (41/11,428 = 0.4%). The immediate cause of an incident was often a change in the patient's medicine regimen or relocation. Most reported incidents occurred in two phases: entering the prescription into the pharmacy information system and filling the ADD bag. Conclusion A proportion of incidents was related to ADD and is reported regularly, especially by community pharmacies. In two phases, entering the prescription into the pharmacy information system and filling the ADD bag, most incidents occurred. A change in the patient's medicine regimen or relocation was the immediate causes of an incident

  12. [Incident reporting systems in anesthesiology--methods and benefits using the example of PaSOS].

    PubMed

    Rall, Marcus; Reddersen, Silke; Zieger, Jörg; Schädle, Bertram; Hirsch, Patricia; Stricker, Eric; Martin, Jörg; Geldner, Götz; Schleppers, Alexander

    2008-09-01

    Preventing patient harm is one of the main tasks for the field of anesthesiology from early on. With the introduction of the national German incident reporting system PaSOS, which is hosted by the German anesthesia society, anesthesiology is again leading the field of patient safety. Important elements, success factors and background information for the introduction of successful incident reporting systems in an organization are given. Examples by and from PaSOS are given.

  13. Cyber Incidents Involving Control Systems

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Robert J. Turk

    2005-10-01

    The Analysis Function of the US-CERT Control Systems Security Center (CSSC) at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) has prepared this report to document cyber security incidents for use by the CSSC. The description and analysis of incidents reported herein support three CSSC tasks: establishing a business case; increasing security awareness and private and corporate participation related to enhanced cyber security of control systems; and providing informational material to support model development and prioritize activities for CSSC. The stated mission of CSSC is to reduce vulnerability of critical infrastructure to cyber attack on control systems. As stated in the Incident Managementmore » Tool Requirements (August 2005) ''Vulnerability reduction is promoted by risk analysis that tracks actual risk, emphasizes high risk, determines risk reduction as a function of countermeasures, tracks increase of risk due to external influence, and measures success of the vulnerability reduction program''. Process control and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems, with their reliance on proprietary networks and hardware, have long been considered immune to the network attacks that have wreaked so much havoc on corporate information systems. New research indicates this confidence is misplaced--the move to open standards such as Ethernet, Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol, and Web technologies is allowing hackers to take advantage of the control industry's unawareness. Much of the available information about cyber incidents represents a characterization as opposed to an analysis of events. The lack of good analyses reflects an overall weakness in reporting requirements as well as the fact that to date there have been very few serious cyber attacks on control systems. Most companies prefer not to share cyber attack incident data because of potential financial repercussions. Uniform reporting requirements will do much to make this information

  14. Critical incident reporting in emergency medicine: results of the prehospital reports.

    PubMed

    Hohenstein, Christian; Hempel, Dorothea; Schultheis, Kerstin; Lotter, Oliver; Fleischmann, Thomas

    2014-05-01

    Medical errors frequently contribute to morbidity and mortality. Prehospital emergency medicine is prone to incidents that can lead to immediate deadly consequences. Critical incident reporting can identify typical problems and be the basis for structured risk management in order to reduce and mitigate these incidents. We set up a free access internet website for German-speaking countries, with an anonymous reporting system for emergency medical services personnel. After a 7-year study period, an expert team analysed and classified the incidents into staff related, equipment related, organisation and tactics, or other. 845 reports were entered in the study period. Physicians reported 44% of incidents, paramedics 42%. Most patients were in a life-threatening or potentially life-threatening situation (82%), and only 53% of all incidents had no influence on the outcome of the patient. Staff-related problems were responsible for 56% of the incidents, when it came to harm, 78% of these incidents were staff related. Incident reporting in prehospital emergency medicine can identify system weaknesses. Most of the incidents were reported during care of patients in life-threatening conditions with a high impact on patient outcome. Staff-related problems contributed to the most frequent and most severe incidents. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

  15. Safety incidents involving confused and forgetful older patients in a specialised care setting--analysis of the safety incidents reported to the HaiPro reporting system.

    PubMed

    Kinnunen-Luovi, Kaisa; Saarnio, Reetta; Isola, Arja

    2014-09-01

    To describe the safety incidents involving confused and forgetful older patients in a specialised care setting entered in the HaiPro reporting system. About 10% of patients experience a safety incident during hospitalisation, which causes or could cause them harm. The possibility of a safety incident during hospitalisation increases significantly with age. A mild or moderate memory disorder and acute confusion are often present in the safety incidents originating with an older patient. The design of the study was action research with this study using findings from one of the first-phase studies, which included qualitative and quantitative analysed data. Data were collected from the reporting system for safety incidents (HaiPro) in a university hospital in Finland. There were 672 reported safety incidents from four acute medical wards during the years 2009-2011, which were scrutinised. Seventy-five of them were linked to a confused patient and were analysed. The majority of the safety incidents analysed involved patient-related accidents. In addition to challenging behaviour, contributing factors included ward routines, shortage of nursing staff, environmental factors and staff knowledge and skills. Nurses tried to secure the patient safety in many different ways, but the modes of actions were insufficient. Nursing staff need evidence-based information on how to assess the cognitive status of a confused patient and how to encounter such patients. The number of nursing staff and ward routines should be examined critically and put in proportion to the care intensity demands caused by the patient's confused state. The findings can be used as a starting point in the prevention of safety incidents and in improving the care of older patients. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  16. [The critical incident reporting system as an instrument of risk management for better patient safety].

    PubMed

    Panzica, M; Krettek, C; Cartes, M

    2011-09-01

    The probability that an inpatient will be harmed by a medical procedure is at least 3% of all patients. As a consequence, hospital risk management has become a central management task in the health care sector. The critical incident reporting system (CIRS) as a voluntary instrument for reporting (near) incidents plays a key role in the implementation of a risk management system. The goal of the CIRS is to register system errors without assigning guilt or meting out punishment and at the same time increasing the number of voluntary reports.

  17. Attitudes and perceived barriers influencing incident reporting by nurses and their correlation with reported incidents: A systematic review.

    PubMed

    Fung, Wing Mei; Koh, Serena Siew Lin; Chow, Yeow Leng

    Clinical incident reporting is an integral feature of risk management system in the healthcare sector. By reporting clinical incidents, nurses allow for learning from errors, identification of error patterns and development of error preventive strategies. The need to understand attitudes to reporting, perceived barriers and incident reporting patterns by nurses are the core highlights of this review. INCLUSION CRITERIA: This review considered descriptive quantitative studies that examined nurses' attitudes or perceived barriers towards incident reporting.The participants in this review were nurses working in acute care settings or step-down care settings. Studies that included non-nursing healthcare personnel were excluded.This review considered studies which examined nurses' attitudes towards incident reporting, perceived barriers and incident reporting practices.The outcomes of interest were the attitudes that nurses have towards incident reporting, perceived barriers and the types of reported incidents in correlation with nurses' attitudes and barriers. A three-step search strategy was utilised in this review. An initial limited search of CINAHL and MEDLINE was undertaken. Search strategies were then developed using identified keywords and index terms. Lastly, the reference lists of all identified articles were examined. All searches were limited to studies published in English, between 1991 and 2010. The studies were independently assessed by two reviewers using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist for Descriptive/ Case Series studies. The reviewers extracted data independently from included studies using the Joanna Briggs Institute Data Extraction Form for Descriptive/ Case Series studies. Due to the descriptive nature of the study designs, statistical pooling was not possible. Therefore, the findings of this systematic review are presented in a narrative summary. Fifty-five papers were identified from the searches based on their titles and

  18. C2-Related Incidents Reported by UAS Pilots

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hobbs, Alan; Cardoza, Colleen; Null, Cynthia

    2016-01-01

    It has been estimated that aviation accidents are typically preceded by numerous minor incidents arising from the same causal factors that ultimately produced the accident. Accident databases provide in-depth information on a relatively small number of occurrences, however incident databases have the potential to provide insights into the human factors of Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) operations based on a larger volume of less-detailed reports. Currently, there is a lack of incident data dealing with the human factors of unmanned aircraft systems. An exploratory study is being conducted to examine the feasibility of collecting voluntary critical incident reports from RPAS pilots. Twenty-three experienced RPAS pilots volunteered to participate in focus groups in which they described critical incidents from their own experience. Participants were asked to recall (1) incidents that revealed a system flaw, or (2) highlighted a case where the human operator contributed to system resilience or mission success. Participants were asked to only report incidents that could be included in a public document. During each focus group session, a note taker produced a de-identified written record of the incident narratives. At the end of the session, participants reviewed each written incident report, and made edits and corrections as necessary. The incidents were later analyzed to identify contributing factors, with a focus on design issues that either hindered or assisted the pilot during the events. A total of 90 incidents were reported. This presentation focuses on incidents that involved the management of the command and control (C2) link. The identified issues include loss of link, interference from undesired transmissions, voice latency, accidental control transfer, and the use of the lost link timer, or lost link OK features.

  19. New York integrated incident management system evaluation project final report

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2007-03-23

    The Integrated Incident Management System (IIMS) enables incident response personnel to transmit data about an incident to other responders and dispatchers on a real-time basis. When an incident is entered into IIMS, the system uses GPS to identify t...

  20. Development of an Automated Security Incident Reporting System (SIRS) for Bus Transit

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1986-12-01

    The security incident reporting system (sirs) is a microcomputer-based software program demonstrated at the metropolitan transit commission (mtc) in Minneapolis, mn. Sirs is designed to provide convenient storage, update and retrieval of security inc...

  1. Incident reporting in one UK accident and emergency department.

    PubMed

    Tighe, Catherine M; Woloshynowych, Maria; Brown, Ruth; Wears, Bob; Vincent, Charles

    2006-01-01

    Greater focus is needed on improving patient safety in modern healthcare systems and the first step to achieving this is to reliably identify the safety issues arising in healthcare. Research has shown the accident and emergency (A&E) department to be a particularly problematic environment where safety is a concern due to various factors, such as the range, nature and urgency of presenting conditions and the high turnover of patients. As in all healthcare environments clinical incident reporting in A&E is an important tool for detecting safety issues which can result in identifying solutions, learning from error and enhancing patient safety. This tool must be responsive and flexible to the local circumstances and work for the department to support the clinical governance agenda. In this paper, we describe the local processes for reporting and reviewing clinical incidents in one A&E department in a London teaching hospital and report recent changes to the system within the department. We used the historical data recorded on the Trust incident database as a representation of the information that would be available to the department in order to identify the high risk areas. In this paper, we evaluate the internal processes, the information available on the database and make recommendations to assist the emergency department in their internal processes. These will strengthen the internal review and staff feedback system so that the department can learn from incidents in a consistent manner. The process was reviewed by detailed examination of the centrally held electronic record (Datix database) of all incidents reported in a one year period. The nature of the incident and the level and accuracy of information provided in the incident reports was evaluated. There were positive aspects to the established system including evidence of positive changes made as a result of the reporting process, new initiatives to feedback to staff, and evolution of the programme for

  2. The non-technical skills used by anaesthetic technicians in critical incidents reported to the Australian Incident Monitoring System between 2002 and 2008.

    PubMed

    Rutherford, J S; Flin, R; Irwin, A

    2015-07-01

    The outcome of critical incidents in the operating theatre has been shown to be influenced by the behaviour of anaesthetic technicians (ATs) assisting anaesthetists, but the specific non-technical skills involved have not been described. We performed a review of critical incidents (n=1433) reported to the Australian Incident Monitoring System between 2002 and 2008 to identify which non-technical skills were used by ATs. The reports were assessed if they mentioned anaesthetic assistance or had the boxes ticked to identify "inadequate assistance" or "absent supervision or assistance". A total of 90 critical incidents involving ATs were retrieved, 69 of which described their use of non-technical skills. In 20 reports, the ATs ameliorated the critical incident, whilst in 46 they exacerbated the critical incident, and three cases had both positive and negative non-technical skills described. Situation awareness was identified in 39 reports, task management in 23, teamwork in 21 and decision-making in two, but there were no descriptions of issues related to leadership, stress or fatigue management. Situation awareness, task management and teamwork appear to be important non-technical skills for ATs in the development or management of critical incidents in the operating theatre. This analysis has been used to support the development of a non-technical skills taxonomy for anaesthetic assistants.

  3. Human factors in airport surface incidents : an analysis of pilot reports submitted to the Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS)

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2006-12-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine human factors involved in airport surface incidents as reported by pilots. Reports submitted to the : Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) are a good source of information regarding the human performance is...

  4. Prospective risk analysis prior to retrospective incident reporting and analysis as a means to enhance incident reporting behaviour: a quasi-experimental field study.

    PubMed

    Kessels-Habraken, Marieke; De Jonge, Jan; Van der Schaaf, Tjerk; Rutte, Christel

    2010-05-01

    Hospitals can apply prospective and retrospective methods to reduce the large number of medical errors. Retrospective methods are used to identify errors after they occur and to facilitate learning. Prospective methods aim to determine, assess and minimise risks before incidents happen. This paper questions whether the order of implementation of those two methods influences the resultant impact on incident reporting behaviour. From November 2007 until June 2008, twelve wards of two Dutch general hospitals participated in a quasi-experimental reversed-treatment non-equivalent control group design. The six units of Hospital 1 first conducted a prospective analysis, after which a sophisticated incident reporting and analysis system was implemented. On the six units of Hospital 2 the two methods were implemented in reverse order. Data from the incident reporting and analysis system and from a questionnaire were used to assess between-hospital differences regarding the number of reported incidents, the spectrum of reported incident types, and the profession of reporters. The results show that carrying out a prospective analysis first can improve incident reporting behaviour in terms of a wider spectrum of reported incident types and a larger proportion of incidents reported by doctors. However, the proposed order does not necessarily yield a larger number of reported incidents. This study fills an important gap in safety management research regarding the order of the implementation of prospective and retrospective methods, and contributes to literature on incident reporting. This research also builds on the network theory of social contagion. The results might indicate that health care employees can disseminate their risk perceptions through communication with their direct colleagues. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. SU-E-T-469: Implementation of VAs Web-Based Radiotherapy Incident Reporting and Analysis System (RIRAS)

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kapoor, R; Palta, J; Hagan, M

    Purpose: This Web-based Radiotherapy Incident Reporting and Analysis System (RIRAS) is a tool to improve quality of care for radiation therapy patients. This system is an important facet of continuing effort by our community to maintain and improve safety of radiotherapy.Material and Methods: VA’s National Radiation Oncology Program office has embarked on a program to electronically collect adverse events and good-catch data of radiation treatment of over 25,000 veterans treated with radiotherapy annually. This VA-Intranet based software design has made use of dataset taxonomies and data dictionaries defined in AAPM/ASTRO reports on error reporting. We used proven industrial and medicalmore » event reporting techniques to avoid several common problems faced in effective data collection such as incomplete data due to data entry fatigue by the reporters, missing data due to data difficult to obtain or not familiar to most reporters, missing reports due to fear of reprisal etc. This system encompasses the entire feedback loop of reporting an incident, analyzing it for salient details, and developing interventions to prevent it from happening again. The analysis reports with corrective, learning actions are shared with the reporter/facility and made public to the community (after deidentification) as part of the learning process. Results: Till date 50 incident/good catches have been reported in RIRAS and we have completed analysis on 100% of these reports. This is done due to the fact that each reported incidents is investigated and a complete analysis/patient-safety-work-product report is generated by radiation oncology domain-experts. Conclusions Because of the completeness of the data, the system has enabled us to analyze process steps and track trends of major errors which in the future will lead to implementing system wide process improvement steps and safe standard operating procedures for each radiotherapy treatment modality/technique and fulfills our goal

  6. Analysis of Aviation Safety Reporting System Incident Data Associated with the Technical Challenges of the System-Wide Safety and Assurance Technologies Project

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Withrow, Colleen A.; Reveley, Mary S.

    2015-01-01

    The Aviation Safety Program (AvSP) System-Wide Safety and Assurance Technologies (SSAT) Project asked the AvSP Systems and Portfolio Analysis Team to identify SSAT-related trends. SSAT had four technical challenges: advance safety assurance to enable deployment of NextGen systems; automated discovery of precursors to aviation safety incidents; increasing safety of human-automation interaction by incorporating human performance, and prognostic algorithm design for safety assurance. This report reviews incident data from the NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) for system-component-failure- or-malfunction- (SCFM-) related and human-factor-related incidents for commercial or cargo air carriers (Part 121), commuter airlines (Part 135), and general aviation (Part 91). The data was analyzed by Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR) part, phase of flight, SCFM category, human factor category, and a variety of anomalies and results. There were 38 894 SCFM-related incidents and 83 478 human-factorrelated incidents analyzed between January 1993 and April 2011.

  7. A cross-sectional overview of the first 4,000 incidents reported to webAIRS, a de-identified web-based anaesthesia incident reporting system in Australia and New Zealand.

    PubMed

    Gibbs, N M; Culwick, M; Merry, A F

    2017-01-01

    webAIRS is a web-based de-identified anaesthesia incident reporting system, which was introduced in Australia and New Zealand in September 2009. By July 2016, 4,000 incident reports had been received. The incidents covered a wide range of patient age (<28 days to >90 years), American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status, and body mass index (<18.5 to >50 kg/m 2 ). They occurred across a wide range of anaesthesia techniques and grade of anaesthesia provider, and over a wide range of anaesthetising locations and times of day. In a high proportion the outcome was not benign; about 26% of incidents were associated with patient harm and a further 4% with death. Incidents appeared to be an ever-present risk in anaesthetic practice, with extrapolated estimates exceeding 200 per week across Australia and New Zealand. Independent of outcomes, many anaesthesia incidents were associated with increased use of health resources. The four most common main categories of incident were Respiratory/Airway, Medication, Cardiovascular, and Medical Device/Equipment. Over 50% of incidents were considered preventable. The narratives accompanying each incident provide a rich source of information, which will be analysed in subsequent reports on particular incident types. The summary data in this initial overview are a sober reminder of the prevalence and unpredictability of anaesthesia incidents, and their potential morbidity and mortality. The data justify current efforts to better prevent and manage anaesthesia incidents in Australia and New Zealand, and identify areas in which increased resources or additional initiatives may be required.

  8. What are incident reports telling us? A comparative study at two Australian hospitals of medication errors identified at audit, detected by staff and reported to an incident system

    PubMed Central

    Westbrook, Johanna I.; Li, Ling; Lehnbom, Elin C.; Baysari, Melissa T.; Braithwaite, Jeffrey; Burke, Rosemary; Conn, Chris; Day, Richard O.

    2015-01-01

    Objectives To (i) compare medication errors identified at audit and observation with medication incident reports; (ii) identify differences between two hospitals in incident report frequency and medication error rates; (iii) identify prescribing error detection rates by staff. Design Audit of 3291patient records at two hospitals to identify prescribing errors and evidence of their detection by staff. Medication administration errors were identified from a direct observational study of 180 nurses administering 7451 medications. Severity of errors was classified. Those likely to lead to patient harm were categorized as ‘clinically important’. Setting Two major academic teaching hospitals in Sydney, Australia. Main Outcome Measures Rates of medication errors identified from audit and from direct observation were compared with reported medication incident reports. Results A total of 12 567 prescribing errors were identified at audit. Of these 1.2/1000 errors (95% CI: 0.6–1.8) had incident reports. Clinically important prescribing errors (n = 539) were detected by staff at a rate of 218.9/1000 (95% CI: 184.0–253.8), but only 13.0/1000 (95% CI: 3.4–22.5) were reported. 78.1% (n = 421) of clinically important prescribing errors were not detected. A total of 2043 drug administrations (27.4%; 95% CI: 26.4–28.4%) contained ≥1 errors; none had an incident report. Hospital A had a higher frequency of incident reports than Hospital B, but a lower rate of errors at audit. Conclusions Prescribing errors with the potential to cause harm frequently go undetected. Reported incidents do not reflect the profile of medication errors which occur in hospitals or the underlying rates. This demonstrates the inaccuracy of using incident frequency to compare patient risk or quality performance within or across hospitals. New approaches including data mining of electronic clinical information systems are required to support more effective medication error detection and

  9. What are incident reports telling us? A comparative study at two Australian hospitals of medication errors identified at audit, detected by staff and reported to an incident system.

    PubMed

    Westbrook, Johanna I; Li, Ling; Lehnbom, Elin C; Baysari, Melissa T; Braithwaite, Jeffrey; Burke, Rosemary; Conn, Chris; Day, Richard O

    2015-02-01

    To (i) compare medication errors identified at audit and observation with medication incident reports; (ii) identify differences between two hospitals in incident report frequency and medication error rates; (iii) identify prescribing error detection rates by staff. Audit of 3291 patient records at two hospitals to identify prescribing errors and evidence of their detection by staff. Medication administration errors were identified from a direct observational study of 180 nurses administering 7451 medications. Severity of errors was classified. Those likely to lead to patient harm were categorized as 'clinically important'. Two major academic teaching hospitals in Sydney, Australia. Rates of medication errors identified from audit and from direct observation were compared with reported medication incident reports. A total of 12 567 prescribing errors were identified at audit. Of these 1.2/1000 errors (95% CI: 0.6-1.8) had incident reports. Clinically important prescribing errors (n = 539) were detected by staff at a rate of 218.9/1000 (95% CI: 184.0-253.8), but only 13.0/1000 (95% CI: 3.4-22.5) were reported. 78.1% (n = 421) of clinically important prescribing errors were not detected. A total of 2043 drug administrations (27.4%; 95% CI: 26.4-28.4%) contained ≥ 1 errors; none had an incident report. Hospital A had a higher frequency of incident reports than Hospital B, but a lower rate of errors at audit. Prescribing errors with the potential to cause harm frequently go undetected. Reported incidents do not reflect the profile of medication errors which occur in hospitals or the underlying rates. This demonstrates the inaccuracy of using incident frequency to compare patient risk or quality performance within or across hospitals. New approaches including data mining of electronic clinical information systems are required to support more effective medication error detection and mitigation. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press in association

  10. Survey to identify depth of penetration of critical incident reporting systems in Austrian healthcare facilities

    PubMed Central

    Sendlhofer, Gerald; Eder, Harald; Leitgeb, Karina; Gorges, Roland; Jakse, Heidelinde; Raiger, Marianne; Türk, Silvia; Petschnig, Walter; Pregartner, Gudrun; Kamolz, Lars-Peter; Brunner, Gernot

    2018-01-01

    Incident reporting systems or so-called critical incident reporting systems (CIRS) were first recommended for use in health care more than 15 years ago. The uses of these CIRS are highly variable among countries, ranging from being used to report critical incidents, falls, or sentinel events resulting in death. In Austria, CIRS have only been introduced to the health care sector relatively recently. The goal of this work, therefore, was to determine whether and specifically how CIRS are used in Austria. A working group from the Austrian Society for Quality and Safety in Healthcare (ASQS) developed a survey on the topic of CIRS to collect information on penetration of CIRS in general and on how CIRS reports are used to increase patient safety. Three hundred seventy-one health care professionals from 274 health care facilities were contacted via e-mail. Seventy-eight respondents (21.0%) completed the online survey, thereof 66 from hospitals and 12 from other facilities (outpatient clinics, nursing homes). In all, 64.1% of the respondents indicated that CIRS were used in the entire health care facility; 20.6% had not yet introduced CIRS and 15.4% used CIRS only in particular areas. Most often, critical incidents without any harm to patients were reported (76.9%); however, some health care facilities also use their CIRS to report patient falls (16.7%), needle stick injuries (17.9%), technical problems (51.3%), or critical incidents involving health care professionals. CIRS are not yet extensively or homogeneously used in Austria. Inconsistencies exist with respect to which events are reported as well as how they are followed up and reported to health care professionals. Further recommendations for general use are needed to support the dissemination in Austrian health care environments. PMID:29310496

  11. Survey to identify depth of penetration of critical incident reporting systems in Austrian healthcare facilities.

    PubMed

    Sendlhofer, Gerald; Eder, Harald; Leitgeb, Karina; Gorges, Roland; Jakse, Heidelinde; Raiger, Marianne; Türk, Silvia; Petschnig, Walter; Pregartner, Gudrun; Kamolz, Lars-Peter; Brunner, Gernot

    2018-01-01

    Incident reporting systems or so-called critical incident reporting systems (CIRS) were first recommended for use in health care more than 15 years ago. The uses of these CIRS are highly variable among countries, ranging from being used to report critical incidents, falls, or sentinel events resulting in death. In Austria, CIRS have only been introduced to the health care sector relatively recently. The goal of this work, therefore, was to determine whether and specifically how CIRS are used in Austria. A working group from the Austrian Society for Quality and Safety in Healthcare (ASQS) developed a survey on the topic of CIRS to collect information on penetration of CIRS in general and on how CIRS reports are used to increase patient safety. Three hundred seventy-one health care professionals from 274 health care facilities were contacted via e-mail. Seventy-eight respondents (21.0%) completed the online survey, thereof 66 from hospitals and 12 from other facilities (outpatient clinics, nursing homes). In all, 64.1% of the respondents indicated that CIRS were used in the entire health care facility; 20.6% had not yet introduced CIRS and 15.4% used CIRS only in particular areas. Most often, critical incidents without any harm to patients were reported (76.9%); however, some health care facilities also use their CIRS to report patient falls (16.7%), needle stick injuries (17.9%), technical problems (51.3%), or critical incidents involving health care professionals. CIRS are not yet extensively or homogeneously used in Austria. Inconsistencies exist with respect to which events are reported as well as how they are followed up and reported to health care professionals. Further recommendations for general use are needed to support the dissemination in Austrian health care environments.

  12. Care Staff Perceptions of Choking Incidents: What Details Are Reported?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Guthrie, Susan; Lecko, Caroline; Roddam, Hazel

    2015-01-01

    Background: Following a series of fatal choking incidents in one UK specialist service, this study evaluated the detail included in incident reporting. This study compared the enhanced reporting system in the specialist service with the national reporting and learning system. Methods: Eligible reports were selected from a national organization and…

  13. Analysis of general aviation single-pilot IFR incident data obtained from the NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bergeron, H. P.

    1983-01-01

    An analysis of incident data obtained from the NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) has been made to determine the problem areas in general aviation single-pilot IFR (SPIFR) operations. The Aviation Safety Reporting System data base is a compilation of voluntary reports of incidents from any person who has observed or been involved in an occurrence which was believed to have posed a threat to flight safety. This paper examines only those reported incidents specifically related to general aviation single-pilot IFR operations. The frequency of occurrence of factors related to the incidents was the criterion used to define significant problem areas and, hence, to suggest where research is needed. The data was cataloged into one of five major problem areas: (1) controller judgment and response problems, (2) pilot judgment and response problems, (3) air traffic control (ATC) intrafacility and interfacility conflicts, (4) ATC and pilot communication problems, and (5) IFR-VFR conflicts. In addition, several points common to all or most of the problems were observed and reported. These included human error, communications, procedures and rules, and work load.

  14. Detection of medical errors in kidney transplantation: a pilot study comparing proactive clinician debriefings to a hospital-wide incident reporting system.

    PubMed

    McElroy, Lisa M; Daud, Amna; Lapin, Brittany; Ross, Olivia; Woods, Donna M; Skaro, Anton I; Holl, Jane L; Ladner, Daniela P

    2014-11-01

    Rates of medical errors and adverse events remain high for patients who undergo kidney transplantation; they are particularly vulnerable because of the complexity of their disease and the kidney transplantation procedure. Although institutional incident-reporting systems are used in hospitals around the country, they often fail to capture a substantial proportion of medical errors. The goal of this study was to assess the ability of a proactive, web-based clinician safety debriefing to augment the information about medical errors and adverse events obtained via traditional incident reporting systems. Debriefings were sent to all individuals listed on operating room personnel reports for kidney transplantation surgeries between April 2010 and April 2011, and incident reports were collected for the same time period. The World Health Organization International Classification for Patient Safety was used to classify all issues reported. A total of 270 debriefings reported 334 patient safety issues (179 safety incidents, 155 contributing factors), and 57 incident reports reported 92 patient safety issues (56 safety incidents, 36 contributing factors). Compared with incident reports, more attending physicians completed the debriefings (32.0 vs 3.5%). The use of a proactive, web-based debriefing to augment an incident reporting system in assessing safety risks in kidney transplantation demonstrated increased information, more perspectives of a single safety issue, and increased breadth of participants. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Learning and feedback from the Danish patient safety incident reporting system can be improved.

    PubMed

    Moeller, Anders Damgaard; Rasmussen, Kurt; Nielsen, Kent Jacob

    2016-06-01

    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. 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. 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. 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. not relevant. not relevant.

  16. SU-E-T-511: Inter-Rater Variability in Classification of Incidents in a New Incident Reporting System

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Pappas, D; Reis, S; Ali, A

    Purpose To determine how consistent the results of different raters are when reviewing the same cases within the Radiation Oncology Incident Learning System (ROILS). Methods Three second-year medical physics graduate students filled out incident reports in spreadsheets set up to mimic ROILS. All students studied the same 33 cases and independently entered their assessments, for a total of 99 reviewed cases. The narratives for these cases were obtained from a published International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) report which included shorter narratives selected from the Radiation Oncology Safety Information System (ROSIS) database. Each category of questions was reviewed to seemore » how consistent the results were by utilizing free-marginal multirater kappa analysis. The percentage of cases where all raters shared full agreement or full disagreement was recorded to show which questions were answered consistently by multiple raters for a given case. The consistency among the raters was analyzed between ICRP and ROSIS cases to see if either group led to more reliable results. Results The categories where all raters agreed 100 percent in their choices were the event type (93.94 percent of cases 0.946 kappa) and the likelihood of the event being harmful to the patient (42.42 percent of cases 0.409 kappa). The categories where all raters disagreed 100 percent in their choices were the dosimetric severity scale (39.39 percent of cases 0.139 kappa) and the potential future toxicity (48.48 percent of cases 0.205 kappa). ROSIS had more cases where all raters disagreed than ICRP (23.06 percent of cases compared to 15.58 percent, respectively). Conclusion Despite reviewing the same cases, the results among the three raters was widespread. ROSIS narratives were shorter than ICRP, which suggests that longer narratives lead to more consistent results. This study shows that the incident reporting system can be optimized to yield more consistent results.« less

  17. A safety incident reporting system for primary care. A systematic literature review and consensus procedure by the LINNEAUS collaboration on patient safety in primary care

    PubMed Central

    Klemp, Kerstin; Zwart, Dorien; Hansen, Jørgen; Hellebek, Torben; Luettel, Dagmar; Verstappen, Wim; Beyer, Martin; Gerlach, Ferdin M.; Hoffmann, Barbara; Esmail, Aneez

    2015-01-01

    Background: Incident reporting is widely used in both patient safety improvement programmes, and in research on patient safety. Objective: To identify the key requirements for incident reporting systems in primary care; to develop an Internet-based incident reporting and learning system for primary care. Methods: A literature review looking at the purpose, design and requirements of an incident reporting system (IRS) was used to update an existing incident reporting system, widely used in Germany. Then, an international expert panel with knowledge on IRS developed the criteria for the design of a new web-based incident reporting system for European primary care. A small demonstration project was used to create a web-based reporting system, to be made freely available for practitioners and researchers. The expert group compiled recommendations regarding the desirable features of an incident reporting system for European primary care. These features covered the purpose of reporting, who should be involved in reporting, the mode of reporting, design considerations, feedback mechanisms and preconditions necessary for the implementation of an IRS. Results: A freely available web-based reporting form was developed, based on these criteria. It can be modified for local contexts. Practitioners and researchers can use this system as a means of recording patient safety incidents in their locality and use it as a basis for learning from errors. Conclusion: The LINNEAUS collaboration has provided a freely available incident reporting system that can be modified for a local context and used throughout Europe. PMID:26339835

  18. Can Patient Safety Incident Reports Be Used to Compare Hospital Safety? Results from a Quantitative Analysis of the English National Reporting and Learning System Data.

    PubMed

    Howell, Ann-Marie; Burns, Elaine M; Bouras, George; Donaldson, Liam J; Athanasiou, Thanos; Darzi, Ara

    2015-01-01

    The National Reporting and Learning System (NRLS) collects reports about patient safety incidents in England. Government regulators use NRLS data to assess the safety of hospitals. This study aims to examine whether annual hospital incident reporting rates can be used as a surrogate indicator of individual hospital safety. Secondly assesses which hospital characteristics are correlated with high incident reporting rates and whether a high reporting hospital is safer than those lower reporting hospitals. Finally, it assesses which health-care professionals report more incidents of patient harm, which report more near miss incidents and what hospital factors encourage reporting. These findings may suggest methods for increasing the utility of reporting systems. This study used a mix methods approach for assessing NRLS data. The data were investigated using Pareto analysis and regression models to establish which patients are most vulnerable to reported harm. Hospital factors were correlated with institutional reporting rates over one year to examine what factors influenced reporting. Staff survey findings regarding hospital safety culture were correlated with reported rates of incidents causing harm; no harm and death to understand what barriers influence error disclosure. 5,879,954 incident reports were collected from acute hospitals over the decade. 70.3% of incidents produced no harm to the patient and 0.9% were judged by the reporter to have caused severe harm or death. Obstetrics and Gynaecology reported the most no harm events [OR 1.61(95%CI: 1.12 to 2.27), p<0.01] and pharmacy was the hospital location where most near-misses were captured [OR 3.03(95%CI: 2.04 to 4.55), p<0.01]. Clinicians were significantly more likely to report death than other staff [OR 3.04(95%CI: 2.43 to 3.80) p<0.01]. A higher ratio of clinicians to beds correlated with reduced rate of harm reported [RR = -1.78(95%Cl: -3.33 to -0.23), p = 0.03]. Litigation claims per bed were

  19. Lessons learnt from the development of the Patient Safety Incidents Reporting an Learning System for the Spanish National Health System: SiNASP.

    PubMed

    Vallejo-Gutiérrez, Paula; Bañeres-Amella, Joaquim; Sierra, Eduardo; Casal, Jesús; Agra, Yolanda

    2014-01-01

    To describe the development process and characteristics of a patient safety incidents reporting system to be implemented in the Spanish National Health System, based on the context and the needs of the different stakeholders. Literature review and analysis of most relevant reporting systems, identification of more than 100 stakeholder's (patients, professionals, regional governments representatives) expectations and requirements, analysis of the legal context, consensus of taxonomy, development of the software and pilot test. Patient Safety Events Reporting and Learning system (Sistema de Notificación y Aprendizajepara la Seguridad del Paciente, SiNASP) is a generic reporting system for all types of incidents related to patient safety, voluntary, confidential, non punitive, anonymous or nominative with anonimization, system oriented, with local analysis of cases and based on the WHO International Classification for Patient Safety. The electronic program has an on-line form for reporting, a software to manage the incidents and improvement plans, and a scoreboard with process indicators to monitor the system. The reporting system has been designed to respond to the needs and expectations identified by the stakeholders, taking into account the lessons learned from the previous notification systems, the characteristics of the National Health System and the existing legal context. The development process presented and the characteristics of the system provide a comprehensive framework that can be used for future deployments of similar patient safety systems. Copyright © 2013 SECA. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

  20. Concept-Based Retrieval from Critical Incident Reports.

    PubMed

    Denecke, Kerstin

    2017-01-01

    Critical incident reporting systems (CIRS) are used as a means to collect anonymously entered information of incidents that occurred for example in a hospital. Analyzing this information helps to identify among others problems in the workflow, in the infrastructure or in processes. The entire potential of these sources of experiential knowledge remains often unconsidered since retrieval of relevant reports and their analysis is difficult and time-consuming, and the reporting systems often do not provide support for these tasks. The objective of this work is to develop a method for retrieving reports from the CIRS related to a specific user query. atural language processing (NLP) and information retrieval (IR) methods are exploited for realizing the retrieval. We compare standard retrieval methods that rely upon frequency of words with an approach that includes a semantic mapping of natural language to concepts of a medical ontology. By an evaluation, we demonstrate the feasibility of semantic document enrichment to improve recall in incident reporting retrieval. It is shown that a combination of standard keyword-based retrieval with semantic search results in highly satisfactory recall values. In future work, the evaluation should be repeated on a larger data set and real-time user evaluation need to be performed to assess user satisfactory with the system and results.

  1. Adult Perpetrator Gender Asymmetries in Child Sexual Assault Victim Selection: Results from the 2000 National Incident-Based Reporting System

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McCloskey, Kathy A.; Raphael, Desreen N.

    2005-01-01

    Data from the 2000 National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) show that while males make up about nine out of every 10 adult sexual assault perpetrators, totaling about 26,878 incidents within the reporting period, females account for about one out of 10 perpetrators, totaling about 1,162 incidents. Male sexual assault perpetrators offend…

  2. 78 FR 14877 - Pipeline Safety: Incident and Accident Reports

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-03-07

    ... DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration [Docket ID PHMSA-2013-0028] Pipeline Safety: Incident and Accident Reports AGENCY: Pipeline and Hazardous Materials... PHMSA F 7100.2--Incident Report--Natural and Other Gas Transmission and Gathering Pipeline Systems and...

  3. SU-F-T-223: Radiotherapy Incident Reporting and Analysis System (RIRAS):Early Experience

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kapoor, R; Palta, J; Hagan, M

    Background & Purpose: RIRAS is a web-based information system deployed on the Veterans Health Administration intranet in early 2014 to collect adverse events and good catch data; analyze the causes and contributing factors; and find ways to prevent future occurrences. Material and Methods: Incident learning consists of a feedback loop which starts with reporting an event, followed by analysis of contributing factors, and culminates in the development of a patient safety work product (PSWP) to prevent recurrence. RIRAS permits both anonymous and non-anonymous reporting. Each report is analyzed by a team of medical physicists who are independent of the reportingmore » facility. The analysts usually contact the reporting facilities for additional information. We analyzed all reports and held telephonic interviews (when necessary) with the reporters. We then generated PSWPs with corrective/preventive and learning actions. Anonymous reporting is handled in the same manner, except without the ability to further interview the reporter. Results: In a significant number of reports, the causes and recommended preventive actions were considerably altered by the independent analysis and additional information from the facility. 130 reports have been entered in RIRAS; 9 misadministrations, 83 good catches, 3 anonymous good catches, and 35 earlier reported incidents from FY2005-14. 45% of the reported incidents occurred in the treatment delivery stages, 19% in on-treatment management, and 16% in pre-treatment verification. 80% of the good catches were found in the treatment delivery workflow. Majority of these incidents were due to inconsistent patient setup instructions or documentation, nonadherence to policies and procedures, lax time-out policy, distracted RTTs, and inadequate RTT staffing. Conclusion: RIRAS has identified many areas for improvement and elevated the quality and safety of radiation treatments in the VHA. We found that the ability to learn is significantly

  4. A review of medication incidents reported to the National Reporting and Learning System in England and Wales over 6 years (2005–2010)

    PubMed Central

    Cousins, David H; Gerrett, David; Warner, Bruce

    2012-01-01

    A review of all medication incidents reported to the National Reporting and Learning System (NRLS) in England in Wales between 1 January 2005 and 31 December 2010 was undertaken. The 526 186 medication incident reports represented 9.68% of all patient safety incidents. Medication incidents from acute general hospitals (394 951) represented 75% of reports. There were relatively smaller numbers of medication incident reports (44 952) from primary care, representing 8.5% of the total. Of 86 821 (16%) medication incidents reporting actual patient harm, 822 (0.9%) resulted in death or severe harm. The incidents involving medicine administration (263 228; 50%) and prescribing (97 097; 18%) were the process steps with the largest number of reports. Omitted and delayed medicine (82 028; 16%) and wrong dose (80 170; 15%) represented the largest error categories. Thirteen medicines or therapeutic groups accounted for 377 (46%) of the incidents with outcomes of death or severe harm. The National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) has issued guidance to help minimize incidents with many of these medicines. Many recent incidents could have been prevented if the NPSA guidance had been better implemented. It is recommended that healthcare organizations in all sectors establish an effective infrastructure to oversee and promote safe medication practice, including an annual medication safety report. In the future, preventable harms from medication incidents can be further minimized by; the continued use of the NRLS to identify and prioritize important actions to improve medication safety, a central organization continuing to issue medication safety guidance to the service and better methods to ensure that the National Health Service has implemented this guidance. PMID:22188210

  5. SU-F-T-462: Lessons Learned From a Machine Incident Reporting System

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Sutlief, S; Hoisak, J

    Purpose: Linear accelerators must operate with minimal downtime. Machine incident logs are a crucial tool to meet this requirement. They providing a history of service and demonstrate whether a fix is working. This study investigates the information content of a large department linear accelerator incident log. Methods: Our department uses an electronic reporting system to provide immediate information to both key department staff and the field service department. This study examines reports for five linac logs during 2015. The report attributes for analysis include frequency, level of documentation, who solved the problem, and type of fix used. Results: Of themore » reports, 36% were documented as resolved. In another 25% the resolution allowed treatment to proceed although the reported problem recurred within days. In 5% only intermediate troubleshooting was documented. The remainder lacked documentation. In 60% of the reports, radiation therapists resolved the problem, often by clearing the appropriate faults or reinitializing a software or hardware service. 22% were resolved by physics and 10% by field service engineers. The remaining 8% were resolved by IT, Facilities, or resolved spontaneously. Typical fixes, in order of scope, included clearing the fault and moving on, closing and re-opening the patient session or software, cycling power to a sub-unit, recalibrating a device (e.g., optical surface imaging), and calling in Field Service (usually resolving the problem through maintenance or component replacement). Conclusion: The reports with undocumented resolution represent a missed opportunity for learning. Frequency of who resolves a problem scales with the proximity of the person’s role (therapist, physicist, or service engineer), which is inversely related to the permanence of the resolution. Review of lessons learned from machine incident logs can form the basis for guidance to radiation therapists and medical physicists to minimize equipment

  6. A web-based incident reporting system and multidisciplinary collaborative projects for patient safety in a Japanese hospital

    PubMed Central

    Nakajima, K; Kurata, Y; Takeda, H

    2005-01-01

    

Problem: When patient safety programs were mandated for Japanese health care institutions, a safety culture, a tool for collecting incident reports, an organizational arrangement for multidisciplinary collaboration, and interventional methods for improvement had to be established. Design: Observational study of effects of new patient safety programs. Setting: Osaka University Hospital, a large government-run teaching hospital. Strategy for change: A voluntary and anonymous web-based incident reporting system was introduced. For the new organizational structure a clinical risk management committee, a department of clinical quality management, and area clinical risk managers were established with their respective roles clearly defined to advance the plan-do-study-act cycle and to integrate efforts. For preventive action, alert procedures, staff education, ward rounds by peers, a system oriented approach for reducing errors, and various feedback channels were introduced. Effects of change: Continuous incident reporting by all hospital staff has been observed since the introduction of the new system. Several error inducing situations have been improved: wrong choice of drug in computer prescribing, maladministration of drugs due to a look-alike appearance or confusion about the manipulation of a medical device, and poor after hours service of the blood transfusion unit. Staff participation in educational seminars has been dramatically improved. Ward rounds have detected problematic procedures which needed to be dealt with. Lessons learnt: Patient safety programs based on a web-based incident reporting system, responsible persons, staff education, and a variety of feedback procedures can help promote a safety culture, multidisciplinary collaboration, and strong managerial leadership resulting in system oriented improvement. PMID:15805458

  7. 49 CFR 171.16 - Detailed hazardous materials incident reports.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... quantity of hazardous waste; (3) A specification cargo tank with a capacity of 1,000 gallons or greater..., DC 20590-0001, or an electronic Hazardous Material Incident Report to the Information System Manager..., submit a written or electronic copy of the Hazardous Materials Incident Report to the FAA Security Field...

  8. 49 CFR 171.16 - Detailed hazardous materials incident reports.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... quantity of hazardous waste; (3) A specification cargo tank with a capacity of 1,000 gallons or greater..., DC 20590-0001, or an electronic Hazardous Material Incident Report to the Information System Manager..., submit a written or electronic copy of the Hazardous Materials Incident Report to the FAA Security Field...

  9. 49 CFR 171.16 - Detailed hazardous materials incident reports.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... quantity of hazardous waste; (3) A specification cargo tank with a capacity of 1,000 gallons or greater..., DC 20590-0001, or an electronic Hazardous Material Incident Report to the Information System Manager..., submit a written or electronic copy of the Hazardous Materials Incident Report to the FAA Security Field...

  10. Analysis of Aviation Safety Reporting System Incident Data Associated With the Technical Challenges of the Vehicle Systems Safety Technology Project

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Withrow, Colleen A.; Reveley, Mary S.

    2014-01-01

    This analysis was conducted to support the Vehicle Systems Safety Technology (VSST) Project of the Aviation Safety Program (AVsP) milestone VSST4.2.1.01, "Identification of VSST-Related Trends." In particular, this is a review of incident data from the NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS). The following three VSST-related technical challenges (TCs) were the focus of the incidents searched in the ASRS database: (1) Vechicle health assurance, (2) Effective crew-system interactions and decisions in all conditions; and (3) Aircraft loss of control prevention, mitigation, and recovery.

  11. Perceptions of reporting practices and barriers to reporting incidents among registered nurses and physicians in accredited and nonaccredited Jordanian hospitals.

    PubMed

    AbuAlRub, Raeda F; Al-Akour, Nemeh A; Alatari, Nour H

    2015-10-01

    To explore the awareness of the incident reporting system, incident reporting practices and barriers to reporting incidents among Jordanian staff nurses and physicians in accredited and nonaccredited hospitals. Reporting medical incidents is an important element of patient safety enhancement and quality of care improvement and it should be an integral part of the organisational culture. A descriptive exploratory survey was used for the present study. A modified version of the Incident Reporting Questionnaire was used to collect data from 307 nurses and 144 physicians at seven hospitals (four accredited and three not accredited) in Jordan. The response rate was 28·8% for nurses and 58·8% for physicians. Nurses were more aware of the incident reporting system than physicians. Physicians were less likely to report any incident on 50% or more of occasions. The major three barriers to reporting incidents were believing that there was no point in reporting near misses, lack of feedback and fear of disciplinary actions. The study showed significant differences between nurses in accredited and nonaccredited hospitals regarding barriers to reporting incidents and reporting practices. Nurse administrators should modify existing systems for reporting incidents to overcome the barriers as shown in the present study. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  12. Improving patient safety incident reporting systems by focusing upon feedback - lessons from English and Welsh trusts.

    PubMed

    Wallace, Louise M; Spurgeon, Peter; Benn, Jonathan; Koutantji, Maria; Vincent, Charles

    2009-08-01

    This paper describes practical implications and learning from a multi-method study of feedback from patient safety incident reporting systems. The study was performed using the Safety Action and Information Feedback from Incident Reporting model, a model of the requirements of the feedback element of a patient safety incident reporting and learning system, derived from a scoping review of research and expert advice from world leaders in safety in high-risk industries. We present the key findings of the studies conducted in the National Health Services (NHS) trusts in England and Wales in 2006. These were a survey completed by risk managers for 351 trusts in England and Wales, three case studies including interviews with staff concerning an example of good practice feedback and an audit of 90 trusts clinical risk staff newsletters. We draw on an Expert Workshop that included 71 experts from the NHS, from regulatory bodies in health care, Royal Colleges, Health and Safety Executive and safety agencies in health care and high-risk industries (commercial aviation, rail and maritime industries). We draw recommendations of enduring relevance to the UK NHS that can be used by trust staff to improve their systems. The recommendations will be of relevance in general terms to health services worldwide.

  13. International Cyber Incident Repository System: Information Sharing on a Global Scale

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Joyce, Amanda L.; Evans, PhD, Nathaniel; Tanzman, Edward A.

    According to the 2016 Internet Security Threat Report, the largest number of cyber attacks were recorded last year (2015), reaching a total of 430 million incidents throughout the world. As the number of cyber incidents increases, the need for information and intelligence sharing increases, as well. This fairly large increase in cyber incidents is driving the need for an international cyber incident data reporting system. The goal of the cyber incident reporting system is to make available shared and collected information about cyber events among participating international parties. In its 2014 report, Insurance Industry Working Session Readout Report-Insurance for CyberRelatedmore » Critical Infrastructure Loss: Key Issues, on the outcomes of a working session on cyber insurance, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security observed that “many participants cited the need for a secure method through which organizations could pool and share cyber incident information” and noted that one underwriter emphasized the importance of internationally harmonized data taxonomies. This cyber incident data reporting system could benefit all nations that take part in reporting incidents to provide a more common operating picture. In addition, this reporting system could allow for trending and anticipated attacks and could potentially benefit participating members by enabling them to get in front of potential attacks. The purpose of this paper is to identify options for consideration for such a system in fostering cooperative cyber defense.« less

  14. Analysis of general aviation single-pilot IFR incident data obtained from the NASA aviation safety reporting system

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bergeron, H. P.

    1980-01-01

    Data obtained from the NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) data base were used to determine problems in general aviation single pilot IFR operations. The data examined consisted of incident reports involving flight safety in the National Aviation System. Only those incidents involving general aviation fixed wing aircraft flying under IFR in instrument meteorological conditions were analyzed. The data were cataloged into one of five major problem areas: (1) controller judgement and response problems; (2) pilot judgement and response problems; (3) air traffic control intrafacility and interfacility conflicts; (4) ATC and pilot communications problems; and (5) IFR-VFR conflicts. The significance of the related problems, and the various underlying elements associated with each are discussed. Previous ASRS reports covering several areas of analysis are reviewed.

  15. Automatic Analysis of Critical Incident Reports: Requirements and Use Cases.

    PubMed

    Denecke, Kerstin

    2016-01-01

    Increasingly, critical incident reports are used as a means to increase patient safety and quality of care. The entire potential of these sources of experiential knowledge remains often unconsidered since retrieval and analysis is difficult and time-consuming, and the reporting systems often do not provide support for these tasks. The objective of this paper is to identify potential use cases for automatic methods that analyse critical incident reports. In more detail, we will describe how faceted search could offer an intuitive retrieval of critical incident reports and how text mining could support in analysing relations among events. To realise an automated analysis, natural language processing needs to be applied. Therefore, we analyse the language of critical incident reports and derive requirements towards automatic processing methods. We learned that there is a huge potential for an automatic analysis of incident reports, but there are still challenges to be solved.

  16. Identification of Human Factors in Unmanned Aviation Via Pilot Incident Reports

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hobbs, Alan; Cardoza, Colleen; Null, Cynthia

    2015-01-01

    There is a need for incident data relevant to the operation of civilian unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) in the National Air Space (NAS). Currently, very limited incident and accident data are available from military sources, and the tightly-restricted civilian UAS industry has produced very few incident reports that could shed light on design issues relevant to human factors. An exploratory study is being conducted to examine the feasibility of collecting voluntary critical incident reports from UAS pilots, and using the information to identify areas where human factors guidelines will be of assistance. Experienced UAS pilots are participating in small focus groups in which they are prompted to describe critical incidents that either reveal a system flaw, or highlight a case where the human operator contributed to system resilience or mission success. The de-identified incidents are being analyzed to identify contributing factors, with a focus on design issues that either hindered or assisted the pilot in dealing with the incident. Preliminary findings will be described.

  17. Enhancing the National Incident-Based Reporting System: A Policy Proposal.

    PubMed

    Bierie, David M

    2015-09-01

    The National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) is an important data set serving social scientists, policy makers, the business community, and the press. However, it is hampered by low participation rates among the nation's police agencies. This article outlines a strategy for enhancing NIBRS by (a) providing police agencies free and supported software to extract and transmit an agency's Record Management System (RMS) data in NIBRS format (or a data-entry system if an RMS does not exist), (b) including personal identifiers of arrestees, and (c) allowing police agencies to access the national data for routine police work. The article describes how taking these steps would decrease the costs of implementing and maintaining NIBRS, encourage widespread adoption, and increase data quality. These enhancements could foster substantial improvements in policing as well as other aspects of the criminal justice system. These changes would also open up new and exciting areas for academics and analysts, including the ability to study criminal careers over time as well as criminal networks within NIBRS. © The Author(s) 2014.

  18. An error taxonomy system for analysis of haemodialysis incidents.

    PubMed

    Gu, Xiuzhu; Itoh, Kenji; Suzuki, Satoshi

    2014-12-01

    This paper describes the development of a haemodialysis error taxonomy system for analysing incidents and predicting the safety status of a dialysis organisation. The error taxonomy system was developed by adapting an error taxonomy system which assumed no specific specialty to haemodialysis situations. Its application was conducted with 1,909 incident reports collected from two dialysis facilities in Japan. Over 70% of haemodialysis incidents were reported as problems or complications related to dialyser, circuit, medication and setting of dialysis condition. Approximately 70% of errors took place immediately before and after the four hours of haemodialysis therapy. Error types most frequently made in the dialysis unit were omission and qualitative errors. Failures or complications classified to staff human factors, communication, task and organisational factors were found in most dialysis incidents. Device/equipment/materials, medicine and clinical documents were most likely to be involved in errors. Haemodialysis nurses were involved in more incidents related to medicine and documents, whereas dialysis technologists made more errors with device/equipment/materials. This error taxonomy system is able to investigate incidents and adverse events occurring in the dialysis setting but is also able to estimate safety-related status of an organisation, such as reporting culture. © 2014 European Dialysis and Transplant Nurses Association/European Renal Care Association.

  19. Audits and critical incident reporting in paediatric anaesthesia: lessons from 75,331 anaesthetics.

    PubMed

    Wan, Sharon; Siow, Yew Nam; Lee, Su Min; Ng, Agnes

    2013-02-01

    This study reports our experience of audit and critical incidents observed by paediatric anaesthetics from 2000 to 2010 at a paediatric teaching hospital in Singapore. Data pertaining to patient demographics, practices and critical incidents during anaesthesia and in the perioperative period were prospectively collected via an audit form and retrospectively analysed thereafter. A total of 2,519 incidents were noted at the 75,331 anaesthetics performed during the study period. There were nine deaths reported. The majority of incidents reported were respiratory critical incidents (n = 1,757, 69.8%), followed by cardiovascular incidents (n = 238, 9.5%). Risk factors for critical incidents included age less than one year, and preterm and former preterm children. Critical incident reporting has value, as it provides insights into the system and helps to identify active and system errors, thus enabling the formulation of effective preventive strategies. By creating and maintaining an environment that encourages reporting, we have maintained a high and consistent reporting rate through the years. The teaching of analysis of critical incidents should be regarded by all clinicians as an important tool for improving patient safety.

  20. Nature of Blame in Patient Safety Incident Reports: Mixed Methods Analysis of a National Database.

    PubMed

    Cooper, Jennifer; Edwards, Adrian; Williams, Huw; Sheikh, Aziz; Parry, Gareth; Hibbert, Peter; Butlin, Amy; Donaldson, Liam; Carson-Stevens, Andrew

    2017-09-01

    A culture of blame and fear of retribution are recognized barriers to reporting patient safety incidents. The extent of blame attribution in safety incident reports, which may reflect the underlying safety culture of health care systems, is unknown. This study set out to explore the nature of blame in family practice safety incident reports. We characterized a random sample of family practice patient safety incident reports from the England and Wales National Reporting and Learning System. Reports were analyzed according to prespecified classification systems to describe the incident type, contributory factors, outcomes, and severity of harm. We developed a taxonomy of blame attribution, and we then used descriptive statistical analyses to identify the proportions of blame types and to explore associations between incident characteristics and one type of blame. Health care professionals making family practice incident reports attributed blame to a person in 45% of cases (n = 975 of 2,148; 95% CI, 43%-47%). In 36% of cases, those who reported the incidents attributed fault to another person, whereas 2% of those reporting acknowledged personal responsibility. Blame was commonly associated with incidents where a complaint was anticipated. The high frequency of blame in these safety, incident reports may reflect a health care culture that leads to blame and retribution, rather than to identifying areas for learning and improvement, and a failure to appreciate the contribution of system factors in others' behavior. Successful improvement in patient safety through the analysis of incident reports is unlikely without achieving a blame-free culture. © 2017 Annals of Family Medicine, Inc.

  1. Nature of Blame in Patient Safety Incident Reports: Mixed Methods Analysis of a National Database

    PubMed Central

    Cooper, Jennifer; Edwards, Adrian; Williams, Huw; Sheikh, Aziz; Parry, Gareth; Hibbert, Peter; Butlin, Amy; Donaldson, Liam; Carson-Stevens, Andrew

    2017-01-01

    PURPOSE A culture of blame and fear of retribution are recognized barriers to reporting patient safety incidents. The extent of blame attribution in safety incident reports, which may reflect the underlying safety culture of health care systems, is unknown. This study set out to explore the nature of blame in family practice safety incident reports. METHODS We characterized a random sample of family practice patient safety incident reports from the England and Wales National Reporting and Learning System. Reports were analyzed according to prespecified classification systems to describe the incident type, contributory factors, outcomes, and severity of harm. We developed a taxonomy of blame attribution, and we then used descriptive statistical analyses to identify the proportions of blame types and to explore associations between incident characteristics and one type of blame. RESULTS Health care professionals making family practice incident reports attributed blame to a person in 45% of cases (n = 975 of 2,148; 95% CI, 43%–47%). In 36% of cases, those who reported the incidents attributed fault to another person, whereas 2% of those reporting acknowledged personal responsibility. Blame was commonly associated with incidents where a complaint was anticipated. CONCLUSIONS The high frequency of blame in these safety, incident reports may reflect a health care culture that leads to blame and retribution, rather than to identifying areas for learning and improvement, and a failure to appreciate the contribution of system factors in others’ behavior. Successful improvement in patient safety through the analysis of incident reports is unlikely without achieving a blame-free culture. PMID:28893816

  2. Incidents/accidents classification and reporting in Statoil.

    PubMed

    Berentsen, Rune; Holmboe, Rolf H

    2004-07-26

    Based on requirements in the new petroleum regulations from Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) and the realisation of a need to improve and rationalise the routines for reporting and follow up of incidents, Statoil Exploration & Production Norway (Statoil E&P Norway) has formulated a new strategy and process for handling of incidents/accidents. The following past experiences serve as basis for the changes made to incident reporting in Statoil E&P Norway; too much resources were spent on a comprehensive handling and analysis of a vast amount of incidents with less importance for the safety level, taking the focus away from the more severe and important issues at hand, the assessment of "Risk Factor", i.e. the combination of recurrence frequency and consequence, was difficult to use. The high degree of subjectivity involved in the determination of the "Risk Factor" (in particular the estimation of the recurrence frequency) resulted in poor data quality and lack of consistency in the data material. The new system for categorisation and handling of undesirable incidents was established in January 2002. The intention was to get a higher degree of focus on serious incidents (injuries, damages, loss and near misses), with a thorough handling and follow-up. This is reflected throughout the handling of the serious incidents, all the way from immediate notification of the incident, through investigation and follow-up of corrective and preventive actions. Simultaneously, it was also an objective to rationalise/simplify the handling of less serious incidents. These incidents are, however, subjected to analyses twice a year in order to utilize the learning opportunity that they also provide. A year after the introduction of this new system for categorisation and follow-up of undesirable incidents, Statoil's experiences are predominantly good; the intention to get a higher degree of focus on serious incidents (injuries, damages, loss and near misses), has been met, the data

  3. A web-based incident reporting system: a two years' experience in an Italian research and teaching hospital.

    PubMed

    Bodina, A; Demarchi, A; Castaldi, S

    2014-01-01

    A web-based incident reporting system (IRS) is a tool allowing healthcare workers to voluntary and anonymously report adverse events/near misses. In 2010, this system was introduced in a research and teaching hospital in metropolitan area in the North part of Italy, in order to detect errors and to learn from failures in care delivery. The aim of this paper is to assess whether and how IRS has proved to be a valuable tool to manage clinical risk and improve healthcare quality. Adverse events are reported anonymously by staff members with the use of an online template form available in the hospital intranet. We retrospectively reviewed the recorded data for each incident/near miss reported between January 2011 and December 2012. The number of reported incidents/near misses was 521 in 2011 and 442 in 2012. In the two years the admissions were 36.974 and 36.107 respectively. We noticed that nursing staff made more use of IRS and that reported errors were basically related to prescription and administration of medications. Much international literature reports that adverse events and near misses are 10% of admissions. Our data are far from that number, thus meaning that a failure in reporting adverse events exists. This consideration, together with the high number of near misses in comparison with occurred errors, leads us to speculate that adverse events with serious consequences for patients are marginally reported. Probably the lack of a strong leadership considering IRS as an instrument for improving quality and operators' reluctance to overcome the culture of blame may negatively affect IRS.

  4. A well-designed online transfusion reaction reporting system improves the estimation of transfusion reaction incidence and quality of care in transfusion practice.

    PubMed

    Yeh, Su-Peng; Chang, Ci-Wen; Chen, Ju-Chuan; Yeh, Wan-Chen; Chen, Pei-Chi; Chuang, Su-Jung; Lin, Chiou-Ping; Hsu, Ling-Nu; Chen, Han-Mih; Lu, Jang-Jih; Peng, Ching-Tien

    2011-12-01

    Recognizing and reporting a transfusion reaction is important in transfusion practice. However, the actual incidence of transfusion reactions is frequently underestimated. We designed an online transfusion reaction reporting system for nurses who take care of transfusion recipients. The common management before and after transfusion and the 18 most common transfusion reactions were itemized as tick boxes. We found the overall documented incidence of transfusion reaction increased dramatically, from 0.21% to 0.61% per unit of blood, after we started using an online reporting system. Overall, 94% (30/32) of nurses took only 1 week to become familiar with the new system, and 88% (28/32) considered the new system helpful in improving the quality of clinical transfusion care. By using an intranet connection, blood bank physicians can also identify patients who are having a reaction and provide appropriate recommendations immediately. A well-designed online reporting system may improve the ability to estimate the incidence of transfusion reactions and the quality of transfusion care.

  5. [Results of provisional use of a system for voluntary anonymous reporting of incidents that threaten patient safety in the emergency medical services of Asturias].

    PubMed

    Galván Núñez, Pablo; Santander Barrios, María Dolores; Villa Álvarez, María Cristina; Castro Delgado, Rafael; Alonso Lorenzo, Julio C; Arcos González, Pedro

    2016-06-01

    To describe the reported incidents and adverse events in the emergency medical services of Asturias, Spain, and assess their consequences, delays caused, and preventability. Prospective, observational study of incidents reported by the staff of the emergency medical services of Asturias after implementation of a system devised by the researchers. Incident reports were received for 0.48% (95% CI, 0.41%-0.54%) of the emergencies attended. Patient safety was compromised in 74.7% of the reported incidents. Problems arising in the emergency response coordination center (ERCC) accounted for 37.6% of the incidents, transport problems for 13.4%, vehicular problems for 10.8%, and communication problems for 8.8%. Seventy percent of the reported incidents caused delays in care; 55% of the reported incidents that put patients at risk (according to severity assessment code ratings) corresponded to problems related to human or material resources. A total of 88.1% of the incidents reported were considered avoidable. Some type of intervention was required to attenuate the effects of 46.2% of the adverse events reported. The measures that staff members most often proposed to prevent adverse events were to increase human and material resources (28.3%), establish protocols (14.5%), and comply with quality of care recommendations (9.7%). It is important to promote a culture of safety and incident reporting among health care staff in Asturias given the number of serious adverse events. Reporting is necessary for understanding the errors made and taking steps to prevent them. The ERCC is the point in the system where incidents are particularly likely to appear and be noticed and reported.

  6. Improving the Capture of Fall Events in Hospitals: Combining a Service for Evaluating Inpatient Falls with an Incident Report System

    PubMed Central

    Shorr, Ronald I.; Mion, Lorraine C.; Chandler, A. Michelle; Rosenblatt, Linda C.; Lynch, Debra; Kessler, Lori A.

    2008-01-01

    OBJECTIVES To determine the utility of a fall evaluation service to improve the ascertainment of falls in acute care. DESIGN Six-month observational study. SETTING Sixteen adult nursing units (349 beds) in an urban, academically affiliated, community hospital. PARTICIPANTS Patients admitted to the study units during the study period. INTERVENTION Nursing staff identifying falls were instructed to notify, using a pager, a trained nurse ‘‘fall evaluator.’’ Fall evaluators provided 24-hour-per-day 7-day-per-week coverage throughout the study. Data on patient falls gathered by fall evaluators were compared with falls data obtained through the hospital’s incident reporting system. RESULTS During 51,180 patient-days of observation, 191 falls were identified according to incident reports (3.73 falls/1,000 patient-days), whereas the evaluation service identified 228 falls (4.45 falls/1,000 patient-days). Combining falls reported from both data sources yielded 266 falls (5.20 falls/1,000 patient-days), a 39% relative rate increase compared with incident reports alone (P<.001). For falls with injury, combining data from both sources yielded 79 falls (1.54 injurious falls/1,000 patient-days), compared with 57 falls (1.11 injurious falls/1,000 patient-days) filed in incident reports—a 28% increase (P = .06). In the 16 nursing units, the relative percentage increase of captured fall events using the combined data sources versus the incident reporting system alone ranged from 13% to 125%. CONCLUSION Incident reports significantly underestimate both injurious and noninjurious falls in acute care settings and should not be used as the sole source of data for research or quality improvement initiatives. PMID:18205761

  7. Physicians' and Nurses' Perceptions of and Attitudes Toward Incident Reporting in Palestinian Hospitals.

    PubMed

    Rashed, Anan; Hamdan, Motasem

    2015-06-22

    Underreporting of incidents that happen in health care services undermines the ability of the systems to improve patient safety. This study assessed the attitudes of physicians and nurses toward incident reporting and the factors influencing reporting in Palestinian hospitals. It also examined clinicians' views about the preferred features of incident reporting system. Cross-sectional self-administered survey of 475 participants, 152 physicians and 323 nurses, from 11 public hospitals in the West Bank; response rate, 81.3%. There was a low level of event reporting among participants in the past year (40.3%). Adjusted for sex and age, physicians were 2.1 times more likely to report incidents than nurses (95% confidence interval, 1.32-3.417; P = 0.002). Perceived main barriers for reporting were grouped under lack of proper structure for reporting, prevalence of blame, and punitive environment. The clinicians indicated fear of administrative sanctions, social and legal liability, and of their competence being questioned (P > 0.05). Getting help for patients, learning from mistakes, and ethical obligation were equally indicated motivators for reporting (P > 0.05). Meanwhile, clinicians prefer formal reporting (77.8%) of all type of errors (65.5%), disclosure of reporters (52.7%), using reports to improve patient safety (80.3%), and willingness to report to immediate supervisors (57.6%). Clinicians acknowledge the importance of reporting incidents; however, prevalence of punitive culture and inadequate reporting systems are key barriers. Improving feedback about reported errors, simplifying procedures, providing clear guidelines on what and who should report, and avoiding blame are essential to enhance reporting. Moreover, health care organizations should consider the opinions of the clinicians in developing reporting systems.

  8. Ventilator-Related Adverse Events: A Taxonomy and Findings From 3 Incident Reporting Systems.

    PubMed

    Pham, Julius Cuong; Williams, Tamara L; Sparnon, Erin M; Cillie, Tam K; Scharen, Hilda F; Marella, William M

    2016-05-01

    In 2009, researchers from Johns Hopkins University's Armstrong Institute for Patient Safety and Quality; public agencies, including the FDA; and private partners, including the Emergency Care Research Institute and the University HealthSystem Consortium (UHC) Safety Intelligence Patient Safety Organization, sought to form a public-private partnership for the promotion of patient safety (P5S) to advance patient safety through voluntary partnerships. The study objective was to test the concept of the P5S to advance our understanding of safety issues related to ventilator events, to develop a common classification system for categorizing adverse events related to mechanical ventilators, and to perform a comparison of adverse events across different adverse event reporting systems. We performed a cross-sectional analysis of ventilator-related adverse events reported in 2012 from the following incident reporting systems: the Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority's Patient Safety Reporting System, UHC's Safety Intelligence Patient Safety Organization database, and the FDA's Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience database. Once each organization had its dataset of ventilator-related adverse events, reviewers read the narrative descriptions of each event and classified it according to the developed common taxonomy. A Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority, FDA, and UHC search provided 252, 274, and 700 relevant reports, respectively. The 3 event types most commonly reported to the UHC and the Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority's Patient Safety Reporting System databases were airway/breathing circuit issue, human factor issues, and ventilator malfunction events. The top 3 event types reported to the FDA were ventilator malfunction, power source issue, and alarm failure. Overall, we found that (1) through the development of a common taxonomy, adverse events from 3 reporting systems can be evaluated, (2) the types of events reported in each database were related

  9. International recommendations for national patient safety incident reporting systems: an expert Delphi consensus-building process.

    PubMed

    Howell, Ann-Marie; Burns, Elaine M; Hull, Louise; Mayer, Erik; Sevdalis, Nick; Darzi, Ara

    2017-02-01

    Patient safety incident reporting systems (PSRS) have been established for over a decade, but uncertainty remains regarding the role that they can and ought to play in quantifying healthcare-related harm and improving care. To establish international, expert consensus on the purpose of PSRS regarding monitoring and learning from incidents and developing recommendations for their future role. After a scoping review of the literature, semi-structured interviews with experts in PSRS were conducted. Based on these findings, a survey-based questionnaire was developed and subsequently completed by a larger expert panel. Using a Delphi approach, consensus was reached regarding the ideal role of PSRSs. Recommendations for best practice were devised. Forty recommendations emerged from the Delphi procedure on the role and use of PSRS. Experts agreed reporting system should not be used as an epidemiological tool to monitor the rate of harm over time or to appraise the relative safety of hospitals. They agreed reporting is a valuable mechanism for identifying organisational safety needs. The benefit of a national system was clear with respect to medication error, device failures, hospital-acquired infections and never events as these problems often require solutions at a national level. Experts recommended training for senior healthcare professionals in incident investigation. Consensus recommendation was for hospitals to take responsibility for creating safety solutions locally that could be shared nationally. We obtained reasonable consensus among experts on aims and specifications of PSRS. This information can be used to reflect on existing and future PSRS, and their role within the wider patient safety landscape. The role of PSRS as instruments for learning needs to be elaborated and developed further internationally. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

  10. Integrating Data From the UK National Reporting and Learning System With Work Domain Analysis to Understand Patient Safety Incidents in Community Pharmacy.

    PubMed

    Phipps, Denham L; Tam, W Vanessa; Ashcroft, Darren M

    2017-03-01

    To explore the combined use of a critical incident database and work domain analysis to understand patient safety issues in a health-care setting. A retrospective review was conducted of incidents reported to the UK National Reporting and Learning System (NRLS) that involved community pharmacy between April 2005 and August 2010. A work domain analysis of community pharmacy was constructed using observational data from 5 community pharmacies, technical documentation, and a focus group with 6 pharmacists. Reports from the NRLS were mapped onto the model generated by the work domain analysis. Approximately 14,709 incident reports meeting the selection criteria were retrieved from the NRLS. Descriptive statistical analysis of these reports found that almost all of the incidents involved medication and that the most frequently occurring error types were dose/strength errors, incorrect medication, and incorrect formulation. The work domain analysis identified 4 overall purposes for community pharmacy: business viability, health promotion and clinical services, provision of medication, and use of medication. These purposes were served by lower-order characteristics of the work system (such as the functions, processes and objects). The tasks most frequently implicated in the incident reports were those involving medication storage, assembly, or patient medication records. Combining the insights from different analytical methods improves understanding of patient safety problems. Incident reporting data can be used to identify general patterns, whereas the work domain analysis can generate information about the contextual factors that surround a critical task.

  11. The casualty profile from the Reading train crash, November 2004: proposals for improved major incident reporting and the application of trauma scoring systems.

    PubMed

    Howells, N R; Dunne, N; Reddy, S

    2006-07-01

    To report the casualty profile of the major incident at the Royal Berkshire Hospital, Reading, following the Ufton Nervet Train crash, November 2004. To make further proposals regarding major incident reporting and implementation of trauma-scoring systems. Retrospective analysis of emergency department and hospital notes. Calculation of index Injury Severity Score (ISS) and Trauma and Injury Severity Score (TRISS) in all patients. Of 61 casualties, the majority (74%) were seen in the minors area of our emergency department with a mixture of blunt impact and penetrating glass injuries. One died and 16 were admitted. 10% had an ISS >16. All surviving patients had a TRISS predicted probability of survival >90%. We propose mandatory major incident reporting within 6 months of a major incident to aid development of a national database. As previously proposed, this will aid education and facilitate future major incident planning. We further propose the widespread use of trauma scoring systems to facilitate comparative analysis between major incidents, perhaps extrapolating this to develop a major incident score.

  12. Incident reporting.

    PubMed

    Wilson, J

    Healthcare delivery is a risky business. People view the NHS in the same light as other commercial businesses such as the hotel, retail and airline industries. The White Paper 'The New NHS: Modern, Dependable' (Secretary of State for Health, 1997) places statutory responsibilities on managers and clinicians to provide a quality service and to have accountability for clinical governance and performance management. Quality and risk are two sides of the same coin, i.e. if you have good quality you have low risk, and this firmly supports the clinical effectiveness agenda. Healthcare organizations in all sectors of care delivery need to demonstrate their high levels of achievement and commitment to continuous quality improvements. Risk management is a process for identifying, assessing and evaluating risks which have adverse effects on the quality, safety and effectiveness of service delivery, and taking positive action to eliminate or reduce them. Having an open, honest and blame-free organization which is open to improving processes and systems of care is a big step towards having staff who are committed to quality and getting things right. Near-miss, incident and indicator recording and reporting are cornerstones of any quality and risk management system.

  13. Pilot Critical Incident Reports as a Means to Identify Human Factors of Remotely Piloted Aircraft

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hobbs, Alan; Cardoza, Colleen; Null, Cynthia

    2016-01-01

    It has been estimated that aviation accidents are typically preceded by numerous minor incidents arising from the same causal factors that ultimately produced the accident. Accident databases provide in-depth information on a relatively small number of occurrences, however incident databases have the potential to provide insights into the human factors of Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) operations based on a larger volume of less-detailed reports. Currently, there is a lack of incident data dealing with the human factors of unmanned aircraft systems. An exploratory study is being conducted to examine the feasibility of collecting voluntary critical incident reports from RPAS pilots. Twenty-three experienced RPAS pilots volunteered to participate in focus groups in which they described critical incidents from their own experience. Participants were asked to recall (1) incidents that revealed a system flaw, or (2) highlighted a case where the human operator contributed to system resilience or mission success. Participants were asked to only report incidents that could be included in a public document. During each focus group session, a note taker produced a de-identified written record of the incident narratives. At the end of the session, participants reviewed each written incident report, and made edits and corrections as necessary. The incidents were later analyzed to identify contributing factors, with a focus on design issues that either hindered or assisted the pilot during the events. A total of 90 incidents were reported. Human factor issues included the impact of reduced sensory cues, traffic separation in the absence of an out-the-window view, control latencies, vigilance during monotonous and ultra-long endurance flights, control station design considerations, transfer of control between control stations, the management of lost link procedures, and decision-making during emergencies. Pilots participated willingly and enthusiastically in the study

  14. Development of the Space Operations Incident Reporting Tool (SOIRT)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Minton, Jacquie

    1997-01-01

    The space operations incident reporting tool (SOIRT) is an instrument used to record information about an anomaly occurring during flight which may have been due to insufficient and/or inappropriate application of human factors knowledge. We originally developed the SOIRT form after researching other incident reporting systems of this type. We modified the form after performing several in-house reviews and a pilot test to access usability. Finally, crew members from Space Shuttle flights participated in a usability test of the tool after their missions. Since the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) currently has no system for continuous collection of this type of information, the SOIRT was developed to report issues such as reach envelope constraints, control operation difficulties, and vision impairments. However, if the SOIRT were to become a formal NASA process, information from crew members could be collected in a database and made available to individuals responsible for improving in-flight safety and productivity. Potential benefits include documentation to justify the redesign or development of new equipment/systems, provide the mission planners with a method for identifying past incidents, justify the development of timelines and mission scenarios, and require the creation of more appropriate work/rest cycles.

  15. Semantic Theme Analysis of Pilot Incident Reports

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Thirumalainambi, Rajkumar

    2009-01-01

    Pilots report accidents or incidents during take-off, on flight and landing to airline authorities and Federal aviation authority as well. The description of pilot reports for an incident contains technical terms related to Flight instruments and operations. Normal text mining approaches collect keywords from text documents and relate them among documents that are stored in database. Present approach will extract specific theme analysis of incident reports and semantically relate hierarchy of terms assigning weights of themes. Once the theme extraction has been performed for a given document, a unique key can be assigned to that document to cross linking the documents. Semantic linking will be used to categorize the documents based on specific rules that can help an end-user to analyze certain types of accidents. This presentation outlines the architecture of text mining for pilot incident reports for autonomous categorization of pilot incident reports using semantic theme analysis.

  16. Learning from Taiwan patient-safety reporting system.

    PubMed

    Lin, Chung-Chih; Shih, Chung-Liang; Liao, Hsun-Hsiang; Wung, Cathy H Y

    2012-12-01

    The aim of this study is to create a national database to record incidents that endanger patient safety. We try to identify systemic problems in hospitals in order to avoid safety incidents in the future and improve the quality of healthcare. The Taiwan Patient Safety Reporting System employs a voluntary notification model. We define 13 types of patient safety incidents, and the reports of different types of incidents are recorded using common terminology. Statistical analysis is used to identify the incident type, time of occurrence, location, person who reported the incident, and possible reasons for frequently occurring incidents. There were 340 hospitals that joined this program from 2005 to 2010. Over 128,271 incident events were reported and analyzed. The three most common incidents were drug-related incidents, falls, and endo tube related incidents. By analyzing the time of occurrence of incidents, we found that drug-related incidents usually occurred between 8 and 10 am. Falls and endo tube incidents usually occurred between 4 and 6 am. The most common location was wards (57.6%), followed by intensive care areas (13.5%), and pharmacies (9.1%). Among hospital staff, nurses reported the highest number of incidents (68.9%), followed by pharmacists (14.5%) and administrative staff (5.5%). The number of incidents reported by doctors was much lower (1.2%). Most staff members who reported incidents had been working for less than five years (58.1%). The unified reporting system was found to improve the recording and analysis of patient safety incidents. To encourage hospital staff to report incidents, hospitals need to be assisted in establishing an internal report and management system for safety incidents. Hospitals also need a protection mechanism to allow staff members to report incidents without the fear of punishment. By identifying the root causes of safety incidents and sharing the lessons learned across hospitals is the only way such incidents can be

  17. I-35w incident management and impact of incidents on freeway operations. Final report, 1976-1979

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Lari, A.; Christianson, D.; Porter, S.

    1982-01-01

    I-35W and I-94 Traffic Management System have been in operation since 1974. As of December 1979, the TMS operation included six principal functional subsystems. These are (1) a 24 camera closed circuit television network (2) 38 ramp meter signals, (3) eleven express bus and/or carpool meter bypass ramps, (4) a motorist information program including changeable message signs, lane control signals, highway advisory radio and a traffic grade information sign, (5) the Traffic Management Center and (6) an incident detection and response program. The purpose of this study was twofold: first, available incident records accumulated on the TMS were analyzed tomore » develop a comprehensive view of the types and quantities of incidents that have occurred. Second, the incident data base and companion volume and occupancy data was used to determine the impact of 'typical' incidents and the impact of the total incident problem. Included in the report is an analysis of incident types detected, mode of incident detection, duration of incidents, and incident response activities.« less

  18. 49 CFR 225.11 - Reporting of accidents/incidents.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Reporting of accidents/incidents. 225.11 Section... ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION RAILROAD ACCIDENTS/INCIDENTS: REPORTS CLASSIFICATION, AND INVESTIGATIONS § 225.11 Reporting of accidents/incidents. (a) Each railroad subject to this part shall submit to...

  19. 49 CFR 225.11 - Reporting of accidents/incidents.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Reporting of accidents/incidents. 225.11 Section... ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION RAILROAD ACCIDENTS/INCIDENTS: REPORTS CLASSIFICATION, AND INVESTIGATIONS § 225.11 Reporting of accidents/incidents. Each railroad subject to this part shall submit to FRA...

  20. Community pharmacy incident reporting: a new tool for community pharmacies in Canada.

    PubMed

    Ho, Certina; Hung, Patricia; Lee, Gary; Kadija, Medina

    2010-01-01

    Incident reporting offers insight into a variety of intricate processes in healthcare. However, it has been found that medication incidents are under reported in the community pharmacy setting. The Community Pharmacy Incident Reporting (CPhIR) program was created by the Institute for Safe Medication Practices Canada specifically for incident reporting in the community pharmacy setting in Canada. The initial development of key elements for CPhIR included several focus-group teleconferences with pharmacists from Ontario and Nova Scotia. Throughout the development and release of the CPhIR pilot, feedback from pharmacists and pharmacy technicians was constantly incorporated into the reporting program. After several rounds of iterative feedback, testing and consultation with community pharmacy practitioners, a final version of the CPhIR program, together with self-directed training materials, is now ready to launch. The CPhIR program provides users with a one-stop platform to report and record medication incidents, export data for customized analysis and view comparisons of individual and aggregate data. These unique functions allow for a detailed analysis of underlying contributing factors in medication incidents. A communication piece for pharmacies to share their experiences is in the process of development. To ensure the success of the CPhIR program, a patient safety culture must be established. By gaining a deeper understanding of possible causes of medication incidents, community pharmacies can implement system-based strategies for quality improvement and to prevent potential errors from occurring again in the future. This article highlights key features of the CPhIR program that will assist community pharmacies to improve their drug distribution system and, ultimately, enhance patient safety.

  1. Introduction of a prehospital critical incident monitoring system--pilot project results.

    PubMed

    Stella, Julian; Davis, Anna; Jennings, Paul; Bartley, Bruce

    2008-01-01

    Hospital medical incident monitoring improves preventable morbidity and mortality rates. Error management systems have been adopted widely in this setting. Data relating to incident monitoring in the prehospital setting is limited. Implementation of an incident monitoring process in a prehospital setting. This is a prospective, descriptive study of the pilot phase of the implementation of an incident monitoring process in a regional prehospital setting, with a focus on trauma care. Paramedics and emergency department staff submitted anonymous incident reports, and a chart review was performed on patients who met major trauma criteria. Selected trauma cases were analyzed by a structured interview/debriefing process to elucidate undocumented incidents. A project committee coded and logged all incidents and developed recommendations. Of 4,429 ambulance responses, 41 cases were analyzed. Twenty-four (58.5%; 95% CI = 49.7-67.4%) were reported anonymously, and the rest were major trauma patients. A total of 77 incidents were identified (mean per case = 1.8; CI = 1.03-2.57). Anonymous cases revealed 26 incidents (mean = 1.1; CI = 0.98-1.22); eight trauma debriefings revealed 38 incidents (mean = 4.8; CI = 0.91-8.69) and nine trauma chart reviews revealed 13 incidents (mean = 1.6; CI = 1.04-2.16). A total of 56 of 77 (72.7%; CI = 65.5-80.0%) incidents related to system inadequacies, and 15 (57.7%; CI = 46.7-68.6%) anonymously reported incidents related to resource problems. A total of 35 of 77 (45.5%; CI = 40.4-50.5%) incidents had minimal or no impact on the patients' outcomes. Thirty-four of 77 (44.2%; CI = 39.3-49.1%) incidents were considered mitigated by circumstance. Incident monitoring led to generalized feedback in most cases (65 of 77; 84.4%; CI = 77.6-91.3%); in three cases (3.9%; CI = 3.7-4.1%), specific education occurred; two cases were reported to an external body (2.6%; CI = 2.5-2.7%); three cases resulted in remedial action (3.9%; CI = 3.7-4.1%); four for

  2. Workplace interpersonal conflicts among the healthcare workers: Retrospective exploration from the institutional incident reporting system of a university-affiliated medical center.

    PubMed

    Jerng, Jih-Shuin; Huang, Szu-Fen; Liang, Huey-Wen; Chen, Li-Chin; Lin, Chia-Kuei; Huang, Hsiao-Fang; Hsieh, Ming-Yuan; Sun, Jui-Sheng

    2017-01-01

    There have been concerns about the workplace interpersonal conflict (WIC) among healthcare workers. As healthcare organizations have applied the incident reporting system (IRS) widely for safety-related incidents, we proposed that this system might provide a channel to explore the WICs. We retrospectively reviewed the reports to the IRS from July 2010 to June 2013 in a medical center. We identified the WICs and typed these conflicts according to the two foci (task content/process and interpersonal relationship) and the three properties (disagreement, interference, and negative emotion), and analyzed relevant data. Of the 147 incidents with WIC, the most common related processes were patient transfer (20%), laboratory tests (17%), surgery (16%) and medical imaging (16%). All of the 147 incidents with WIC focused on task content or task process, but 41 (27.9%) also focused on the interpersonal relationship. We found disagreement, interference, and negative emotion in 91.2%, 88.4%, and 55.8% of the cases, respectively. Nurses (57%) were most often the reporting workers, while the most common encounter was the nurse-doctor interaction (33%), and the majority (67%) of the conflicts were experienced concurrently with the incidents. There was a significant difference in the distribution of worker job types between cases focused on the interpersonal relationship and those without (p = 0.0064). The doctors were more frequently as the reporter when the conflicts focused on the interpersonal relationship (34.1%) than not on it (17.0%). The distributions of worker job types were similar between those with and without negative emotion (p = 0.125). The institutional IRS is a useful place to report the workplace interpersonal conflicts actively. The healthcare systems need to improve the channels to communicate, manage and resolve these conflicts.

  3. Workplace interpersonal conflicts among the healthcare workers: Retrospective exploration from the institutional incident reporting system of a university-affiliated medical center

    PubMed Central

    Huang, Szu-Fen; Liang, Huey-Wen; Chen, Li-Chin; Lin, Chia-Kuei; Huang, Hsiao-Fang; Hsieh, Ming-Yuan; Sun, Jui-Sheng

    2017-01-01

    Objective There have been concerns about the workplace interpersonal conflict (WIC) among healthcare workers. As healthcare organizations have applied the incident reporting system (IRS) widely for safety-related incidents, we proposed that this system might provide a channel to explore the WICs. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the reports to the IRS from July 2010 to June 2013 in a medical center. We identified the WICs and typed these conflicts according to the two foci (task content/process and interpersonal relationship) and the three properties (disagreement, interference, and negative emotion), and analyzed relevant data. Results Of the 147 incidents with WIC, the most common related processes were patient transfer (20%), laboratory tests (17%), surgery (16%) and medical imaging (16%). All of the 147 incidents with WIC focused on task content or task process, but 41 (27.9%) also focused on the interpersonal relationship. We found disagreement, interference, and negative emotion in 91.2%, 88.4%, and 55.8% of the cases, respectively. Nurses (57%) were most often the reporting workers, while the most common encounter was the nurse-doctor interaction (33%), and the majority (67%) of the conflicts were experienced concurrently with the incidents. There was a significant difference in the distribution of worker job types between cases focused on the interpersonal relationship and those without (p = 0.0064). The doctors were more frequently as the reporter when the conflicts focused on the interpersonal relationship (34.1%) than not on it (17.0%). The distributions of worker job types were similar between those with and without negative emotion (p = 0.125). Conclusions The institutional IRS is a useful place to report the workplace interpersonal conflicts actively. The healthcare systems need to improve the channels to communicate, manage and resolve these conflicts. PMID:28166260

  4. Feedback from incident reporting: information and action to improve patient safety.

    PubMed

    Benn, J; Koutantji, M; Wallace, L; Spurgeon, P; Rejman, M; Healey, A; Vincent, C

    2009-02-01

    Effective feedback from incident reporting systems in healthcare is essential if organisations are to learn from failures in the delivery of care. Despite the wide-scale development and implementation of incident reporting in healthcare, studies in the UK suggest that information concerning system vulnerabilities could be better applied to improve operational safety within organisations. In this article, the findings and implications of research to identify forms of effective feedback from incident reporting are discussed, to promote best practices in this area. The research comprised a mixed methods review to investigate mechanisms of effective feedback for healthcare, drawing upon experience within established reporting programmes in high-risk industry and transport domains. Systematic searches of published literature were undertaken, and 23 case studies describing incident reporting programmes with feedback were identified for analysis from the international healthcare literature. Semistructured interviews were undertaken with 19 subject matter experts across a range of domains, including: civil aviation, maritime, energy, rail, offshore production and healthcare. In analysis, qualitative information from several sources was synthesised into practical requirements for developing effective feedback in healthcare. Both action and information feedback mechanisms were identified, serving safety awareness, improvement and motivational functions. The provision of actionable feedback that visibly improved systems was highlighted as important in promoting future reporting. Fifteen requirements for the design of effective feedback systems were identified, concerning: the role of leadership, the credibility and content of information, effective dissemination channels, the capacity for rapid action and the need for feedback at all levels of the organisation, among others. Above all, the safety-feedback cycle must be closed by ensuring that reporting, analysis and

  5. A Meta-Analysis of the Incidence of Patient-Reported Dysphagia After Anterior Cervical Decompression and Fusion with the Zero-Profile Implant System.

    PubMed

    Yang, Yi; Ma, Litai; Liu, Hao; Xu, MangMang

    2016-04-01

    Dysphagia is a well-known complication following anterior cervical surgery. It has been reported that the Zero-profile Implant System can decrease the incidence of dysphagia following surgery, however, dysphagia after anterior cervical decompression and fusion (ACDF) with the Zero-profile Implant System remains controversial. Previous studies only focus on small sample sizes. The objective of this study was to determine the incidence of dysphagia after ACDF with the Zero-profile Implant System. Studies were collected from PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane library and the China Knowledge Resource Integrated Database using the keywords "Zero-profile OR Zero-p) AND (dysphagia OR [swallowing dysfunction]". The software STATA (Version 13.0) was used for statistical analysis. Statistical heterogeneity across the various trials, a test of publication bias and sensitivity analysis was performed. 30 studies with a total of 1062 patients were included in this meta-analysis. The occurrence of post-operative transient dysphagia ranged from 0 to 76 % whilst the pooled incidence was 15.6 % (95 % CI, 12.6, 18.5 %). 23 studies reported no persistent dysphagia whilst seven studies reported persistent dysphagia ranging from 1 to 7 %). In summary, the present study observed a low incidence of both transient and persistent dysphagia after ACDF using the Zero-profile Implant System. Most of the dysphagia was mild and gradually decreased during the following months. Moderate or severe dysphagia was uncommon. Future randomized controlled multi-center studies and those focusing on the mechanisms of dysphagia and methods to reduce its incidence are required.

  6. Integration of the incident command system (ICS) protocol for effective coordination of multi-agency response to traffic incidents : final report.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2017-06-13

    In recent years, there has been an increased focus on Traffic Incident Management (TIM) and : incorporation of the Incident Command System (ICS) to reduce traffic congestion on the nation's : Interstates. In fact, studies show that for every minute a...

  7. National Patient Safety Program in Brazil: Incidents Reported Between 2014 and 2017.

    PubMed

    Faustino, Tássia Nery; Batalha, Edenise Maria Santos da Silva; Vieira, Silvana Lima; Nicole, Andressa Garcia; Morais, Alexandre Souza; Tronchin, Daisy Maria Rizatto; Melleiro, Marta Maria

    2018-05-16

    The aim of the study was to analyze the patient safety incidents reported to the Brazilian National Health Surveillance System from March 2014 to March 2017. A documentary study that used the records of the incidents published in the Reports of Adverse Events (AE) in Brazil. The following variables were selected: number of incidents by type, type of health service, hospital unit, and degree of harm. To find whether there was a significant difference across the Brazilian regions by notifications related to general incidents, AE, and deaths, the analysis of variance and the Tukey tests were used. A total of 109,082 incidents were reported, of which 75,088 were AE, with 649 deaths. In relation to the types of incidents reported, there was a higher frequency in the categories other (30.04%) and failures during health care (26.72%). A total of 93.90% of the incidents occurred in hospitals, with 54,950 cases registered in hospitalization units and 30,141 cases in intensive care units. Statistically significant differences across the Brazilian regions were observed in the number of incidents (P = 0.004), AE (P = 0.004), and deaths (P = 0.024). A significant underreporting of incidents was found in Brazil, demonstrating only the tip of a giant iceberg. More than half of the incidents were reported as AE and were registered in hospitals, reiterating the importance of establishing public health policies at national, state, and municipal levels, with adequate supervision of the health service regarding the implementation of the Patient Safety Nuclei and the preparation of new protocols based on the most prevalent incidents.

  8. 33 CFR 150.830 - Reporting a pollution incident.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Reporting a pollution incident. 150.830 Section 150.830 Navigation and Navigable Waters COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY... pollution incident. Oil pollution incidents involving a deepwater port are reported according to §§ 135.305...

  9. 33 CFR 150.830 - Reporting a pollution incident.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Reporting a pollution incident. 150.830 Section 150.830 Navigation and Navigable Waters COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY... pollution incident. Oil pollution incidents involving a deepwater port are reported according to §§ 135.305...

  10. 33 CFR 150.830 - Reporting a pollution incident.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Reporting a pollution incident. 150.830 Section 150.830 Navigation and Navigable Waters COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY... pollution incident. Oil pollution incidents involving a deepwater port are reported according to §§ 135.305...

  11. 33 CFR 150.830 - Reporting a pollution incident.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Reporting a pollution incident. 150.830 Section 150.830 Navigation and Navigable Waters COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY... pollution incident. Oil pollution incidents involving a deepwater port are reported according to §§ 135.305...

  12. 33 CFR 150.830 - Reporting a pollution incident.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Reporting a pollution incident. 150.830 Section 150.830 Navigation and Navigable Waters COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY... pollution incident. Oil pollution incidents involving a deepwater port are reported according to §§ 135.305...

  13. Analysis of Aviation Safety Reporting System Incident Data Associated with the Technical Challenges of the Atmospheric Environment Safety Technology Project

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Withrow, Colleen A.; Reveley, Mary S.

    2014-01-01

    This study analyzed aircraft incidents in the NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) that apply to two of the three technical challenges (TCs) in NASA's Aviation Safety Program's Atmospheric Environment Safety Technology Project. The aircraft incidents are related to airframe icing and atmospheric hazards TCs. The study reviewed incidents that listed their primary problem as weather or environment-nonweather between 1994 and 2011 for aircraft defined by Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR) Parts 121, 135, and 91. The study investigated the phases of flight, a variety of anomalies, flight conditions, and incidents by FAR part, along with other categories. The first part of the analysis focused on airframe-icing-related incidents and found 275 incidents out of 3526 weather-related incidents over the 18-yr period. The second portion of the study focused on atmospheric hazards and found 4647 incidents over the same time period. Atmospheric hazards-related incidents included a range of conditions from clear air turbulence and wake vortex, to controlled flight toward terrain, ground encounters, and incursions.

  14. 46 CFR 148.115 - Report of incidents.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... 46 Shipping 5 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Report of incidents. 148.115 Section 148.115 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) DANGEROUS CARGOES CARRIAGE OF BULK SOLID MATERIALS THAT REQUIRE SPECIAL HANDLING Minimum Transportation Requirements § 148.115 Report of incidents. (a) When a fire or other hazardous condition...

  15. How to Report a Pesticide Incident Involving Exposures to People

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Pesticides incidents must be reported by pesticide registrants. Others, such as members of the public and environmental professionals, would like to report pesticide incidents. This website will facilitate such incident reporting.

  16. Incident management under SCAT adaptive control system : FAST-TRAC phase III deliverable. #11, Final report on incident management under SCATS adaptive control system

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1998-04-01

    The report documents the results of a study designed to test the effectiveness of ATMS and ATIS strategies to reduce delay resulting from an incident. The study had two main sections: a simulation study to test the effectiveness of several control st...

  17. Incident reporting: Its role in aviation safety and the acquisition of human error data

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Reynard, W. D.

    1983-01-01

    The rationale for aviation incident reporting systems is presented and contrasted to some of the shortcomings of accident investigation procedures. The history of the United State's Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) is outlined and the program's character explained. The planning elements that resulted in the ASRS program's voluntary, confidential, and non-punitive design are discussed. Immunity, from enforcement action and misuse of the volunteered data, is explained and evaluated. Report generation techniques and the ASRS data analysis process are described; in addition, examples of the ASRS program's output and accomplishments are detailed. Finally, the value of incident reporting for the acquisition of safety information, particularly human error data, is explored.

  18. How Effective Are Incident-Reporting Systems for Improving Patient Safety? A Systematic Literature Review

    PubMed Central

    Stavropoulou, Charitini; Doherty, Carole; Tosey, Paul

    2015-01-01

    Context Incident-reporting systems (IRSs) are used to gather information about patient safety incidents. Despite the financial burden they imply, however, little is known about their effectiveness. This article systematically reviews the effectiveness of IRSs as a method of improving patient safety through organizational learning. Methods Our systematic literature review identified 2 groups of studies: (1) those comparing the effectiveness of IRSs with other methods of error reporting and (2) those examining the effectiveness of IRSs on settings, structures, and outcomes in regard to improving patient safety. We used thematic analysis to compare the effectiveness of IRSs with other methods and to synthesize what was effective, where, and why. Then, to assess the evidence concerning the ability of IRSs to facilitate organizational learning, we analyzed studies using the concepts of single-loop and double-loop learning. Findings In total, we identified 43 studies, 8 that compared IRSs with other methods and 35 that explored the effectiveness of IRSs on settings, structures, and outcomes. We did not find strong evidence that IRSs performed better than other methods. We did find some evidence of single-loop learning, that is, changes to clinical settings or processes as a consequence of learning from IRSs, but little evidence of either improvements in outcomes or changes in the latent managerial factors involved in error production. In addition, there was insubstantial evidence of IRSs enabling double-loop learning, that is, a cultural change or a change in mind-set. Conclusions The results indicate that IRSs could be more effective if the criteria for what counts as an incident were explicit, they were owned and led by clinical teams rather than centralized hospital departments, and they were embedded within organizations as part of wider safety programs. PMID:26626987

  19. A pilot asthma incidence surveillance system and case definition: lessons learned.

    PubMed

    Trepka, Mary Jo; Martin, Pilar; Mavunda, Kunjana; Rodriguez, Diana; Zhang, Guoyan; Brown, Clive

    2009-01-01

    Surveillance for incident asthma in the general population could provide timely information about asthma trends and new, emerging etiologic factors. We sought to determine the feasibility of an asthma incidence surveillance system using voluntary reporting of asthma by outpatient clinics and emergency departments (EDs). Voluntary reporting occurred from July 2002 through June 2006. We classified reported asthma based on a case definition adapted from one developed by the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists. We validated the case definition by having pulmonologists review data from participant interviews, medical record abstractions, and pulmonary function test (PFT) results. The positive predictive value (PPV) of meeting any of the case definition criteria for asthma was 80% to 82%. The criterion of taking at least one rescue and one controller medication had the highest PPV (97% to 100%). Only 7% of people meeting the incident case definition had a PFT documented in their medical record, limiting the usefulness of PFT results for case classification. Compared with pediatric participants, adult participants were more likely to be uninsured and to obtain asthma care at EDs. The surveillance system cost $5129 per enrolled person meeting the incident case definition and was difficult to implement in participating clinics and EDs because asthma reporting was not mandatory and informed consent was necessary. The project was useful in evaluating the case definition's validity and in describing the participants' characteristics and health-care use patterns. However, without mandatory reporting laws, reporting of incident asthma in the general population by clinicians is not likely to be a feasible method for asthma surveillance.

  20. Development and implementation of a radiation therapy incident learning system compatible with local workflow and a national taxonomy.

    PubMed

    Montgomery, Logan; Fava, Palma; Freeman, Carolyn R; Hijal, Tarek; Maietta, Ciro; Parker, William; Kildea, John

    2018-01-01

    Collaborative incident learning initiatives in radiation therapy promise to improve and standardize the quality of care provided by participating institutions. However, the software interfaces provided with such initiatives must accommodate all participants and thus are not optimized for the workflows of individual radiation therapy centers. This article describes the development and implementation of a radiation therapy incident learning system that is optimized for a clinical workflow and uses the taxonomy of the Canadian National System for Incident Reporting - Radiation Treatment (NSIR-RT). The described incident learning system is a novel version of an open-source software called the Safety and Incident Learning System (SaILS). A needs assessment was conducted prior to development to ensure SaILS (a) was intuitive and efficient (b) met changing staff needs and (c) accommodated revisions to NSIR-RT. The core functionality of SaILS includes incident reporting, investigations, tracking, and data visualization. Postlaunch modifications of SaILS were informed by discussion and a survey of radiation therapy staff. There were 240 incidents detected and reported using SaILS in 2016 and the number of incidents per month tended to increase throughout the year. An increase in incident reporting occurred after switching to fully online incident reporting from an initial hybrid paper-electronic system. Incident templating functionality and a connection with our center's oncology information system were incorporated into the investigation interface to minimize repetitive data entry. A taskable actions feature was also incorporated to document outcomes of incident reports and has since been utilized for 36% of reported incidents. Use of SaILS and the NSIR-RT taxonomy has improved the structure of, and staff engagement with, incident learning in our center. Software and workflow modifications informed by staff feedback improved the utility of SaILS and yielded an efficient

  1. Medication safety in the home care setting: Development and piloting of a Critical Incident Reporting System

    PubMed

    Meyer-Massetti, Carla; Krummenacher, Evelyne; Hedinger-Grogg, Barbara; Luterbacher, Stephan; Hersberger, Kurt E

    2016-09-01

    Background: While drug-related problems are among the most frequent adverse events in health care, little is known about their type and prevalence in home care in the current literature. The use of a Critical Incident Reporting System (CIRS), known as an economic and efficient tool to record medication errors for subsequent analysis, is widely implemented in inpatient care, but less established in ambulatory care. Recommendations on a possible format are scarce. A manual CIRS was developed based on the literature and subsequently piloted and implemented in a Swiss home care organization. Aim: The aim of this work was to implement a critical incident reporting system specifically for medication safety in home care. Results: The final CIRS form was well accepted among staff. Requiring limited resources, it allowed preliminary identification and trending of medication errors in home care. The most frequent error reports addressed medication preparation at the patients’ home, encompassing the following errors: omission (30 %), wrong dose (17.5 %) and wrong time (15 %). The most frequent underlying causes were related to working conditions (37.9 %), lacking attention (68.2 %), time pressure (22.7 %) and interruptions by patients (9.1 %). Conclusions: A manual CIRS allowed efficient data collection and subsequent analysis of medication errors in order to plan future interventions for improvement of medication safety. The development of an electronic CIRS would allow a reduction of the expenditure of time regarding data collection and analysis. In addition, it would favour the development of a national CIRS network among home care institutions.

  2. Under-reporting of violent incidents against nursing staff.

    PubMed

    Ferns, Terry

    This article examines factors that contribute to nurses failing to report incidents of violence and aggression in the clinical area and it develops the information published in a previous article (Ferns and Chojnacka 2005). Broader social factors are considered, including gender, violence experienced by women, the status of the nursing profession and bureaucratic structures that contribute to under-reporting. The life experiences of individual nursing staff play a significant role in how they react to violence in the clinical area. Strategies to minimise violence against nurses should consider the social, political and personal issues that limit the reporting of violent incidents. Only by reporting such incidents can the extent of violence towards nurses be determined and minimised.

  3. [Which definition and taxonomy of incident to use for a French reporting system in primary care settings?].

    PubMed

    Keriel-Gascou, M; Brami, J; Chanelière, M; Haeringer-Cholet, A; Larrieu, C; Villebrun, F; Robert, T; Michel, P

    2014-02-01

    There is no widely accepted definition of incident for primary care doctors in France and no taxonomic classification system for epidemiological use. In preparation for a future epidemiological study on primary care incidents in France (the ESPRIT study), this work was designed to identify the definitions and taxonomic classifications used internationally along with the usual methods and results in terms of frequency in the literature. The goal was to determine a French definition and taxonomy. Systematic review of the literature and consensus methods. An exhaustive search of epidemiological surveys was performed. A structured grid was used. After having identified the definitions used in the literature, a definition was chosen using the focus groups method. Taxonomies identified in the literature were classified by relationship, architecture, code number, and number of studies published. Subsequently, a consensus among experts, who independently tested these taxonomies on six incidents, was reached for choosing the most appropriate for epidemiological data collection (little information on a large number of cases). Twenty-four papers reporting 17 studies were selected among 139 articles. Five definitions and eight taxonomies were found. The chosen definition of incident was based on the WHO definition "A patient safety incident is an event or circumstance that could have resulted, or did result, in harm to a patient, and whose wish it is not repeated again". The test of incidents resulted in the choice of the TAPS version of the International Taxonomy of Medical Error in Primary Care for a reproducible and internationally recognized codification and the tempos method for its current use in French general practice. The definitions, taxonomies, data collection characteristics and frequency of incidents results in the international literature on incidents in primary care are key components for the preparation of an epidemiological survey on incidents in primary care

  4. Clinical incidents involving students on placement: an analysis of incident reports to identify potential risk factors.

    PubMed

    Gaida, J E; Maloney, S; Lo, K; Morgan, P

    2015-06-01

    Students are sometimes involved in incidents during clinical training. To the authors' knowledge, no quantitative studies of incidents specifically involving physiotherapy students on clinical placement are available in the literature. A retrospective audit (2008 to 2011) of incident reports involving physiotherapy students was conducted to identify the nature and features of incidents. The study aimed to determine if injuries to a student or patient were more or less likely when the supervisor was in close proximity, and whether students with lower academic performance in their preclinical semester were more likely to be involved in an incident. There were 19 care-delivery-related and three equipment-related incidents. There were no incidents of violent, aggressive or demeaning behaviour towards students. The incident rate was 9.0/100,000 student-hours for third-year students and 6.8/100,000 student-hours for fourth-year students. The majority of incidents (55%) occurred from 11 am to 12-noon and from 3 pm to 3.30 pm. Incidents more often resulted in patient or student injury when the supervisor was not in close proximity (approximately 50% vs approximately 20%), although the difference was not significant (P=0.336). The academic results of students involved in incidents were equivalent to the whole cohort in their preclinical semester {mean 75 [standard deviation (SD) 6] vs 76 (SD 7); P=0.488}. The unexpected temporal clustering of incidents warrants further investigation. Student fatigue may warrant attention as a potential contributor; however, contextual factors, such as staff workload, along with organisational systems, structures and procedures may be more relevant. The potential relationship between supervisor proximity and injury also warrants further exploration. The findings of the present study should be integrated into clinical education curricula and communicated to clinical educators. Copyright © 2014 Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. Published by

  5. Infections and exposures: reported incidents associated with unsuccessful decontamination of reusable surgical instruments.

    PubMed

    Southworth, P M

    2014-11-01

    Reusable surgical instruments provide a potential route for the transmission of pathogenic agents between patients in healthcare facilities. As such, the decontamination process between uses is a vital component in the prevention of healthcare-associated infections. This article reviews reported outbreaks and incidents associated with inappropriate, inadequate, or unsuccessful decontamination of surgical instruments, indicating potential pitfalls of decontamination practices worldwide. To the author's knowledge, this is the first review of surgical instrument decontamination failures. Databases of medical literature, Medline and Embase, were searched systematically. Articles detailing incidents associated with unsuccessful decontamination of surgical instruments were identified. Twenty-one articles were identified reporting incidents associated with failures in decontamination. A large proportion of incidents involved the attempted disinfection, rather than sterilization, of surgical instruments (43% of articles), counter to a number of national guidelines. Instruments used in eye surgery were most frequently reported to be associated with decontamination failures (29% of articles). Of the few articles detailing potential or confirmed pathogenic transmission, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Mycobacterium spp. were most represented. One incident of possible variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease transmission was also identified. Limitations of analysing only published incidents mean that the likelihood of under-reporting (including reluctance to publish failure) must be considered. Despite these limitations, the small number of articles identified suggests a relatively low risk of cross-infection through reusable surgical instruments when cleaning/sterilization procedures are adhered to. The diverse nature of reported incidents also suggests that failures are not systemic. Copyright © 2014 The Healthcare Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. A Descriptive Analysis of Incidents Reported by Community Aged Care Workers.

    PubMed

    Tariq, Amina; Douglas, Heather E; Smith, Cheryl; Georgiou, Andrew; Osmond, Tracey; Armour, Pauline; Westbrook, Johanna I

    2015-07-01

    Little is known about the types of incidents that occur to aged care clients in the community. This limits the development of effective strategies to improve client safety. The objective of the study was to present a profile of incidents reported in Australian community aged care settings. All incident reports made by community care workers employed by one of the largest community aged care provider organizations in Australia during the period November 1, 2012, to August 8, 2013, were analyzed. A total of 356 reports were analyzed, corresponding to a 7.5% incidence rate per client year. Falls and medication incidents were the most prevalent incident types. Clients receiving high-level care and those who attended day therapy centers had the highest rate of incidents with 14% to 20% of these clients having a reported incident. The incident profile indicates that clients on higher levels of care had higher incident rates. Incident data represent an opportunity to improve client safety in community aged care. © The Author(s) 2014.

  7. Lessons learnt from incidents reported by postgraduate trainees in Dutch general practice. A prospective cohort study.

    PubMed

    Zwart, Dorien L M; Heddema, Wendelien S; Vermeulen, Margit I; van Rensen, Elizabeth L J; Verheij, Theo J M; Kalkman, Cor J

    2011-10-01

    There is an inherent tension between allowing trainees in general practice (GP) to feel comfortable to report and learn from errors in a blame-free environment while still assuring high-quality and safe patient care. Unfortunately, little is known about the types and potential severity of incidents that may confront GP trainees. Furthermore, incident reporting by resident trainees is hindered by their concern that such transparency might result in more negative performance evaluations. To explore the number and nature of incidents that were reported by GP trainees and to determine whether there were differences between the reporters and non-reporters based on their performance evaluations. Prospective cohort study. Confidential and voluntary incident reporting was implemented in GP vocational training of the University Medical Center Utrecht, the Netherlands. Seventy-nine GP trainees were asked to report incidents over 6 months. Mixed methods were used to analyse the data. 24 trainees reported a total of 44 incidents. 23 incidents concerned the work process and 17 concerned problems with diagnosis or therapy. Three-quarters (34/44) of incidents were determined to be not specifically related to the inexperience of the GP trainees. While actual patient harm was determined to be minimal or absent in two-thirds of incidents (29/44), the potential for moderate, major, or catastrophic harm was 89% (39/44). Trainees performing best on their performance assessment in the domain of clinical expertise reported incidents more often (43% vs 18%, p<0.03) than those who performed at a lower level. GP trainees rated highly by their faculty voluntarily reported incidents in the delivery of clinical care when given a safe, blame-free, and confidential reporting process. Most incidents were not found to be directly related to the inexperience of the trainee, but were caused by failing organisational processes in the healthcare delivery system. Moreover, the trainees who tended to

  8. Using multiclass classification to automate the identification of patient safety incident reports by type and severity.

    PubMed

    Wang, Ying; Coiera, Enrico; Runciman, William; Magrabi, Farah

    2017-06-12

    Approximately 10% of admissions to acute-care hospitals are associated with an adverse event. Analysis of incident reports helps to understand how and why incidents occur and can inform policy and practice for safer care. Unfortunately our capacity to monitor and respond to incident reports in a timely manner is limited by the sheer volumes of data collected. In this study, we aim to evaluate the feasibility of using multiclass classification to automate the identification of patient safety incidents in hospitals. Text based classifiers were applied to identify 10 incident types and 4 severity levels. Using the one-versus-one (OvsO) and one-versus-all (OvsA) ensemble strategies, we evaluated regularized logistic regression, linear support vector machine (SVM) and SVM with a radial-basis function (RBF) kernel. Classifiers were trained and tested with "balanced" datasets (n_ Type  = 2860, n_ SeverityLevel  = 1160) from a state-wide incident reporting system. Testing was also undertaken with imbalanced "stratified" datasets (n_ Type  = 6000, n_ SeverityLevel =5950) from the state-wide system and an independent hospital reporting system. Classifier performance was evaluated using a confusion matrix, as well as F-score, precision and recall. The most effective combination was a OvsO ensemble of binary SVM RBF classifiers with binary count feature extraction. For incident type, classifiers performed well on balanced and stratified datasets (F-score: 78.3, 73.9%), but were worse on independent datasets (68.5%). Reports about falls, medications, pressure injury, aggression and blood products were identified with high recall and precision. "Documentation" was the hardest type to identify. For severity level, F-score for severity assessment code (SAC) 1 (extreme risk) was 87.3 and 64% for SAC4 (low risk) on balanced data. With stratified data, high recall was achieved for SAC1 (82.8-84%) but precision was poor (6.8-11.2%). High risk incidents (SAC2) were confused

  9. General practitioner reported incidence of Lyme carditis in the Netherlands.

    PubMed

    Hofhuis, A; Arend, S M; Davids, C J; Tukkie, R; van Pelt, W

    2015-11-01

    Between 1994 and 2009, incidence rates of general practitioner (GP) consultations for tick bites and erythema migrans, the most common early manifestation of Lyme borreliosis, have increased substantially in the Netherlands. The current article aims to estimate and validate the incidence of GP-reported Lyme carditis in the Netherlands. We sent a questionnaire to all GPs in the Netherlands on clinical diagnoses of Lyme borreliosis in 2009 and 2010. To validate and adjust the obtained incidence rate, medical records of cases of Lyme carditis reported by GPs in this incidence survey were reviewed and categorised according to likelihood of the diagnosis of Lyme carditis. Lyme carditis occurred in 0.2 % of all patients with GP-reported Lyme borreliosis. The adjusted annual incidence was six GP-reported cases of Lyme carditis per 10 million inhabitants, i.e. approximately ten cases per year in 2009 and 2010. We report the first incidence estimate for Lyme carditis in the Netherlands, validated by a systematic review of the medical records. Although Lyme carditis is an uncommon manifestation of Lyme borreliosis, physicians need to be aware of this diagnosis, in particular in countries where the incidence of Lyme borreliosis has increased during the past decades.

  10. Patient safety incident reporting: a qualitative study of thoughts and perceptions of experts 15 years after 'To Err is Human'.

    PubMed

    Mitchell, Imogen; Schuster, Anne; Smith, Katherine; Pronovost, Peter; Wu, Albert

    2016-02-01

    One of the key recommendations of the Institute of Medicine's (IOM) report, To Err is Human, 15 years ago was for greater attention to incident reporting in healthcare, analogous to the role it has played in aviation and other high-risk industries. With the passage of time and maturation of the patient safety field, we conducted semistructured interviews with 11 international patient safety experts with knowledge of the US healthcare and meeting at least one of the following criteria: (1) involved in the development of the IOM's recommendations, (2) responsible for the design and/or implementation of national or regional incident reporting systems, (3) conducted research on patient safety/incident reporting at a national level. Five key challenges emerged to explain why incident reporting has not reached its potential: poor processing of incident reports (triaging, analysis, recommendations), inadequate engagement of doctors, insufficient subsequent visible action, inadequate funding and institutional support of incident reporting systems and inadequate usage of evolving health information technology. Leading patient safety experts acknowledge the current challenges of incident reports. The future of incident reporting lies in targeted incident reporting, effective triaging and robust analysis of the incident reports and meaningful engagement of doctors. Incident reporting must be coupled with visible, sustainable action and linkage of incident reports to the electronic health record. If the healthcare industry wants to learn from its mistakes, miss or near miss events, it will need to take incident reporting as seriously as the health budget. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

  11. Patient-reported experiences of patient safety incidents need to be utilized more systematically in promoting safe care.

    PubMed

    Sahlström, Merja; Partanen, Pirjo; Turunen, Hannele

    2018-04-16

    To analyze patient safety incidents (PSIs) reported by patients and their use in Finnish healthcare organizations. Cross-sectional study. About 15 Finnish healthcare organizations ranging from specialized hospital care to home care, outpatient and inpatient clinics, and geographically diverse areas of Finland. The study population included all Finnish patients who had voluntarily reported PSI via web-based system in 2009-15. Quantitative analysis of patients' safety reports, inductive content analysis of patients' suggestions to prevent the reoccurrence incidents and how those suggestions were used in healthcare organizations. Patients reported 656 PSIs, most of which were classified by the healthcare organizations' analysts as problems associated with information flow (32.6%) and medications (18%). Most of the incidents (65%) did not cause any harm to patients. About 76% of the reports suggested ways to prevent reoccurrence of PSIs, most of which were feasible, system-based amendments of processes for reviewing or administering treatment, anticipating risks or improving diligence in patient care. However, only 6% had led to practical implementation of corrective actions in the healthcare organizations. The results indicate that patients report diverse PSIs and suggest practical systems-based solutions to prevent their reoccurrence. However, patients' reports rarely lead to corrective actions documented in the registering system, indicating that there is substantial scope to improve utilization of patients' reports. There is also a need for strong patient safety management, including willingness and commitment of HCPs and leaders to learn from safety incidents.

  12. Using incident reports to inform the prevention of medication administration errors.

    PubMed

    Härkänen, Marja; Saano, Susanna; Vehviläinen-Julkunen, Katri

    2017-11-01

    To describe ways of preventing medication administration errors based on reporters' views expressed in medication administration incident reports. Medication administration errors are very common, and nurses play important roles in committing and in preventing such errors. Thus far, incident reporters' perceptions of how to prevent medication administration errors have rarely been analysed. This is a qualitative, descriptive study using an inductive content analysis of the incident reports related to medication administration errors (n = 1012). These free-text descriptions include reporters' views on preventing the reoccurrence of medication administration errors. The data were collected from two hospitals in Finland and pertain to incidents that were reported between 1 January 2013 and 31 December 2014. Reporters' views on preventing medication administration errors were divided into three main categories related to individuals (health professionals), teams and organisations. The following categories related to individuals in preventing medication administration errors were identified: (1) accuracy and preciseness; (2) verification; and (3) following the guidelines, responsibility and attitude towards work. The team categories were as follows: (1) distribution of work; (2) flow of information and cooperation; and (3) documenting and marking the drug information. The categories related to organisation were as follows: (1) work environment; (2) resources; (3) training; (4) guidelines; and (5) development of the work. Health professionals should administer medication with a high moral awareness and an attempt to concentrate on the task. Nonetheless, the system should support health professionals by providing a reasonable work environment and encouraging collaboration among the providers to facilitate the safe administration of medication. Although there are numerous approaches to supporting medication safety, approaches that support the ability of individual health

  13. Application of an aviation model of incident reporting and investigation to the neurosurgical scenario: method and preliminary data.

    PubMed

    Ferroli, Paolo; Caldiroli, Dario; Acerbi, Francesco; Scholtze, Maurizio; Piro, Alfonso; Schiariti, Marco; Orena, Eleonora F; Castiglione, Melina; Broggi, Morgan; Perin, Alessandro; DiMeco, Francesco

    2012-11-01

    Incident reporting systems are universally recognized as important tools for quality improvement in all complex adaptive systems, including the operating room. Nevertheless, introducing a safety culture among neurosurgeons is a slow process, and few studies are available in the literature regarding the implementation of an incident reporting system within a neurosurgical department. The authors describe the institution of an aviation model of incident reporting and investigation in neurosurgery, focusing on the method they have used and presenting some preliminary results. In 2010, the Inpatient Safety On-Board project was developed through cooperation between a team of human factor and safety specialists with aviation backgrounds (DgSky team) and the general manager of the Fondazione Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta. In 2011, after specific training in safety culture, the authors implemented an aviation-derived prototype of incident reporting within the Department of Neurosurgery. They then developed an experimental protocol to track, analyze, and categorize any near misses that happened in the operating room. This project officially started in January 2012, when a dedicated team of assessors was established. All members of the neurosurgical department were asked to report near misses on a voluntary, confidential, and protected form (Patient Incident Reporting System form, Besta Safety Management Programme). Reports were entered into an online database and analyzed by a dedicated team of assessors with the help of a facilitator, and an aviation-derived root cause analysis was performed. Since January 2012, 14 near misses were analyzed and classified. The near-miss contributing factors were mainly related to human factors (9 of 14 cases), technology (1 of 14 cases), organizational factors (3 of 14 cases), or procedural factors (1 of 14 cases). Implementing an incident reporting system is quite demanding; the process should involve all of the people who work within

  14. Flight Attendant Fatigue. Part IV. Analysis of Incident Reports

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-12-01

    Flight Attendant Fatigue, Part IV: Analysis of Incident Reports Kali Holcomb Katrina Avers Lena Dobbins Joy Banks Lauren Blackwell Thomas Nesthus...Incident Reports 6. Performing Organization Code 7. Author(s) 8. Performing Organization Report No. Holcomb K, Avers K, Dobbins L, Banks J...observed by erC members of the flight attendant ASAP programs, a survey was developed. Surveys were distributed via e -Mail to 23 participants for

  15. TRANSMIT system evaluation : final report

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1998-06-30

    This report presents the evaluation results of TRANSCOMs System for Managing Incidents and Traffic (TRANSMIT). The TRANSMIT system utilizes Electronic Toll and Traffic Management (ETTM) equipment, which is compatible with the E-Z Pass system, for ...

  16. Factors that influence the recognition, reporting and resolution of incidents related to medical devices and other healthcare technologies: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Polisena, Julie; Gagliardi, Anna; Urbach, David; Clifford, Tammy; Fiander, Michelle

    2015-03-29

    Medical devices have improved the treatment of many medical conditions. Despite their benefit, the use of devices can lead to unintended incidents, potentially resulting in unnecessary harm, injury or complications to the patient, a complaint, loss or damage. Devices are used in hospitals on a routine basis. Research to date, however, has been primarily limited to describing incidents rates, so the optimal design of a hospital-based surveillance system remains unclear. Our research objectives were twofold: i) to explore factors that influence device-related incident recognition, reporting and resolution and ii) to investigate interventions or strategies to improve the recognition, reporting and resolution of medical device-related incidents. We searched the bibliographic databases: MEDLINE, Embase, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and PsycINFO database. Grey literature (literature that is not commercially available) was searched for studies on factors that influence incident recognition, reporting and resolution published and interventions or strategies for their improvement from 2003 to 2014. Although we focused on medical devices, other health technologies were eligible for inclusion. Thirty studies were included in our systematic review, but most studies were concentrated on other health technologies. The study findings indicate that fear of punishment, uncertainty of what should be reported and how incident reports will be used and time constraints to incident reporting are common barriers to incident recognition and reporting. Relevant studies on the resolution of medical errors were not found. Strategies to improve error reporting include the use of an electronic error reporting system, increased training and feedback to frontline clinicians about the reported error. The available evidence on factors influencing medical device-related incident recognition, reporting and resolution by healthcare professionals can inform data collection and

  17. Incident Management in Academic Information System using ITIL Framework

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Palilingan, V. R.; Batmetan, J. R.

    2018-02-01

    Incident management is very important in order to ensure the continuity of a system. Information systems require incident management to ensure information systems can provide maximum service according to the service provided. Many of the problems that arise in academic information systems come from incidents that are not properly handled. The objective of this study aims to find the appropriate way of incident management. The incident can be managed so it will not be a big problem. This research uses the ITIL framework to solve incident problems. The technique used in this study is a technique adopted and developed from the service operations section of the ITIL framework. The results of this research found that 84.5% of incidents appearing in academic information systems can be handled quickly and appropriately. 15.5% incidents can be escalated so as to not cause any new problems. The model of incident management applied to make academic information system can run quickly in providing academic service in a good and efficient. The incident management model implemented in this research is able to manage resources appropriately so as to quickly and easily manage incidents.

  18. Report: EPA Could Improve Processes for Managing Contractor Systems and Reporting Incidents

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Report #2007-P-00007, January 11, 2007. Although EPA had defined the specific requirements for contractor systems, EPA had not established procedures to ensure identification of all contractor systems.

  19. 76 FR 30855 - Accident/Incident Reporting Requirements

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-05-27

    ... definition contained in the final rule, if an individual suffers a reportable injury as the result of a car... sidewalk/walkway D5--In airport; D6- In airplane; D7--In hotel room; E1--On parking lot; E2--In building... reporting forms in addition to its Companion Guide: Guidelines for Submitting Accident/Incident Reports by...

  20. Development of a theoretical framework of factors affecting patient safety incident reporting: a theoretical review of the literature

    PubMed Central

    Hull, Louise; Soukup, Tayana; Mayer, Erik; Athanasiou, Thanos; Sevdalis, Nick; Darzi, Ara

    2017-01-01

    Objectives The development and implementation of incident reporting systems within healthcare continues to be a fundamental strategy to reduce preventable patient harm and improve the quality and safety of healthcare. We sought to identify factors contributing to patient safety incident reporting. Design To facilitate improvements in incident reporting, a theoretical framework, encompassing factors that act as barriers and enablers ofreporting, was developed. Embase, Ovid MEDLINE(R) and PsycINFO were searched to identify relevant articles published between January 1980 and May 2014. A comprehensive search strategy including MeSH terms and keywords was developed to identify relevant articles. Data were extracted by three independent researchers; to ensure the accuracy of data extraction, all studies eligible for inclusion were rescreened by two reviewers. Results The literature search identified 3049 potentially eligible articles; of these, 110 articles, including >29 726 participants, met the inclusion criteria. In total, 748 barriers were identified (frequency count) across the 110 articles. In comparison, 372 facilitators to incident reporting and 118 negative cases were identified. The top two barriers cited were fear of adverse consequences (161, representing 21.52% of barriers) and process and systems of reporting (110, representing 14.71% of barriers). In comparison, the top two facilitators were organisational (97, representing 26.08% of facilitators) and process and systems of reporting (75, representing 20.16% of facilitators). Conclusion A wide range of factors contributing to engagement in incident reporting exist. Efforts that address the current tendency to under-report must consider the full range of factors in order to develop interventions as well as a strategic policy approach for improvement. PMID:29284714

  1. The key incident monitoring and management system - history and role in quality improvement.

    PubMed

    Badrick, Tony; Gay, Stephanie; Mackay, Mark; Sikaris, Ken

    2018-01-26

    The determination of reliable, practical Quality Indicators (QIs) from presentation of the patient with a pathology request form through to the clinician receiving the report (the Total Testing Process or TTP) is a key step in identifying areas where improvement is necessary in laboratories. The Australasian QIs programme Key Incident Monitoring and Management System (KIMMS) began in 2008. It records incidents (process defects) and episodes (occasions at which incidents may occur) to calculate incident rates. KIMMS also uses the Failure Mode Effects Analysis (FMEA) to assign quantified risk to each incident type. The system defines risk as incident frequency multiplied by both a harm rating (on a 1-10 scale) and detection difficulty score (also a 1-10 scale). Between 2008 and 2016, laboratories participating rose from 22 to 69. Episodes rose from 13.2 to 43.4 million; incidents rose from 114,082 to 756,432. We attribute the rise in incident rate from 0.86% to 1.75% to increased monitoring. Haemolysis shows the highest incidence (22.6% of total incidents) and the highest risk (26.68% of total risk). "Sample is suspected to be from the wrong patient" has the second lowest frequency, but receives the highest harm rating (10/10) and detection difficulty score (10/10), so it is calculated to be the 8th highest risk (2.92%). Similarly, retracted (incorrect) reports QI has the 10th highest frequency (3.9%) but the harm/difficulty calculation confers the second highest risk (11.17%). TTP incident rates are generally low (less than 2% of observed episodes), however, incident risks, their frequencies multiplied by both ratings of harm and discovery difficulty scores, concentrate improvement attention and resources on the monitored incident types most important to manage.

  2. Study of model of anesthesia related adverse event by incident report at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital.

    PubMed

    Narasethkamol, Arunchai; Charuluxananan, Somrat; Kyokong, Oranuch; Premsamran, Porntep; Kundej, Sarawut

    2011-01-01

    As a site of the Thai Anesthesia Incidents Monitoring Study (Thai AIMS), the authors continued data collection of incident reports to find out the frequency, clinical course, contributing factors, factors minimizing adverse events, and investigation of model appropriate for possible corrective strategies in a Thai university hospital. A standardized anesthesia incident report form that included close-end and open-end questions was provided to the attending anesthesia personnel of King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital between January I and December 31, 2007. They filled it on a voluntary and anonymous basis. Each incident report was reviewed by three reviewers. Any disagreement was discussed to achieve a consensus. One hundred sixty three incident reports were filled reporting 191 incidents. There were fewer male (44%) than female (56%) patients and they had an ASA physical status classification 1 (41%), 2 (43%), 3 (10%), 4 (4%) and 5 (2%). Surgical specialties that posed high risk of incidents were general, orthopedic, gynecological, otorhino-laryngological and urological surgery. Locations of incident were operating room (85%), ward (8%) and recovery room (2%). The common adverse incidents were oxygen desaturation (23%), arrhythmia needing treatment (14%), equipment malfunction (13%), drug error (9%), difficult intubation (6%), esophageal intubation (5%), cardiac arrest (5%), reintubation (4%), and endobronchial intubation (4%). Adverse events were detected by monitoring only (27%), by monitoring before clinical diagnosis (26%), by clinical diagnosis before monitoring (21%), and by clinical diagnosis only (26%). Incidents were considered to be from anesthesia related factor (73%), system factor (16%) and preventable (47%). Common factors related to incident were inexperience, lack of vigilance, haste, inappropriate decision, not comply with guidelines, and lack of equipment maintenance. Suggested corrective strategies were quality assurance activity, additional

  3. A self-report critical incident assessment tool for army night vision goggle helicopter operations.

    PubMed

    Renshaw, Peter F; Wiggins, Mark W

    2007-04-01

    The present study sought to examine the utility of a self-report tool that was designed as a partial substitute for a face-to-face cognitive interview for critical incidents involving night vision goggles (NVGs). The use of NVGs remains problematic within the military environment, as these devices have been identified as a factor in a significant proportion of aircraft accidents and incidents. The self-report tool was structured to identify some of the cognitive features of human performance that were associated with critical incidents involving NVGs. The tool incorporated a number of different levels of analysis, ranging from specific behavioral responses to broader cognitive constructs. Reports were received from 30 active pilots within the Australian Army using the NVG Critical Incident Assessment Tool (NVGCIAT). The results revealed a correspondence between specific types of NVG-related errors and elements of the Human Factors Analysis and Classification System (HFACS). In addition, uncertainty emerged as a significant factor associated with the critical incidents that were recalled by operators. These results were broadly consistent with previous research and provide some support for the utility of subjective assessment tools as a means of extracting critical incident-related data when face-to-face cognitive interviews are not possible. In some circumstances, the NVGCIAT might be regarded as a substitute cognitive interview protocol with some level of diagnosticity.

  4. Evaluation of auto incident recording system (AIRS).

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2005-05-01

    The Auto Incident Recording System (AIRS) is a sound-actuated video recording system. It automatically records potential incidents when activated by sound (horns, clashing metal, squealing tires, etc.). The purpose is to detect patterns of crashes at...

  5. Do specialty registrars change their attitudes, intentions and behaviour towards reporting incidents following a patient safety course?

    PubMed Central

    2010-01-01

    Background Reporting incidents can contribute to safer health care, as an awareness of the weaknesses of a system could be considered as a starting point for improvements. It is believed that patient safety education for specialty registrars could improve their attitudes, intentions and behaviour towards incident reporting. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of a two-day patient safety course on the attitudes, intentions and behaviour concerning the voluntary reporting of incidents by specialty registrars. Methods A patient safety course was designed to increase specialty registrars' knowledge, attitudes and skills in order to recognize and cope with unintended events and unsafe situations at an early stage. Data were collected through an 11-item questionnaire before, immediately after and six months after the course was given. Results The response rate at all three points in time assessed was 100% (n = 33). There were significant changes in incident reporting attitudes and intentions immediately after the course, as well as during follow-up. However, no significant changes were found in incident reporting behaviour. Conclusions It is shown that patient safety education can have long-term positive effects on attitudes towards reporting incidents and the intentions of registrars. However, further efforts need to be undertaken to induce a real change in behaviour. PMID:20416053

  6. The NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1983-01-01

    This is the fourteenth in a series of reports based on safety-related incidents submitted to the NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System by pilots, controllers, and, occasionally, other participants in the National Aviation System (refs. 1-13). ASRS operates under a memorandum of agreement between the National Aviation and Space Administration and the Federal Aviation Administration. The report contains, first, a special study prepared by the ASRS Office Staff, of pilot- and controller-submitted reports related to the perceived operation of the ATC system since the 1981 walkout of the controllers' labor organization. Next is a research paper analyzing incidents occurring while single-pilot crews were conducting IFR flights. A third section presents a selection of Alert Bulletins issued by ASRS, with the responses they have elicited from FAA and others concerned. Finally, the report contains a list of publications produced by ASRS with instructions for obtaining them.

  7. What Happened, and Why: Toward an Understanding of Human Error Based on Automated Analyses of Incident Reports. Volume 1

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Maille, Nicolas P.; Statler, Irving C.; Ferryman, Thomas A.; Rosenthal, Loren; Shafto, Michael G.; Statler, Irving C.

    2006-01-01

    The objective of the Aviation System Monitoring and Modeling (ASMM) project of NASA s Aviation Safety and Security Program was to develop technologies that will enable proactive management of safety risk, which entails identifying the precursor events and conditions that foreshadow most accidents. This presents a particular challenge in the aviation system where people are key components and human error is frequently cited as a major contributing factor or cause of incidents and accidents. In the aviation "world", information about what happened can be extracted from quantitative data sources, but the experiential account of the incident reporter is the best available source of information about why an incident happened. This report describes a conceptual model and an approach to automated analyses of textual data sources for the subjective perspective of the reporter of the incident to aid in understanding why an incident occurred. It explores a first-generation process for routinely searching large databases of textual reports of aviation incident or accidents, and reliably analyzing them for causal factors of human behavior (the why of an incident). We have defined a generic structure of information that is postulated to be a sound basis for defining similarities between aviation incidents. Based on this structure, we have introduced the simplifying structure, which we call the Scenario as a pragmatic guide for identifying similarities of what happened based on the objective parameters that define the Context and the Outcome of a Scenario. We believe that it will be possible to design an automated analysis process guided by the structure of the Scenario that will aid aviation-safety experts to understand the systemic issues that are conducive to human error.

  8. Development of a theoretical framework of factors affecting patient safety incident reporting: a theoretical review of the literature.

    PubMed

    Archer, Stephanie; Hull, Louise; Soukup, Tayana; Mayer, Erik; Athanasiou, Thanos; Sevdalis, Nick; Darzi, Ara

    2017-12-27

    The development and implementation of incident reporting systems within healthcare continues to be a fundamental strategy to reduce preventable patient harm and improve the quality and safety of healthcare. We sought to identify factors contributing to patient safety incident reporting. To facilitate improvements in incident reporting, a theoretical framework, encompassing factors that act as barriers and enablers ofreporting, was developed. Embase, Ovid MEDLINE(R) and PsycINFO were searched to identify relevant articles published between January 1980 and May 2014. A comprehensive search strategy including MeSH terms and keywords was developed to identify relevant articles. Data were extracted by three independent researchers; to ensure the accuracy of data extraction, all studies eligible for inclusion were rescreened by two reviewers. The literature search identified 3049 potentially eligible articles; of these, 110 articles, including >29 726 participants, met the inclusion criteria. In total, 748 barriers were identified (frequency count) across the 110 articles. In comparison, 372 facilitators to incident reporting and 118 negative cases were identified. The top two barriers cited were fear of adverse consequences (161, representing 21.52% of barriers) and process and systems of reporting (110, representing 14.71% of barriers). In comparison, the top two facilitators were organisational (97, representing 26.08% of facilitators) and process and systems of reporting (75, representing 20.16% of facilitators). A wide range of factors contributing to engagement in incident reporting exist. Efforts that address the current tendency to under-report must consider the full range of factors in order to develop interventions as well as a strategic policy approach for improvement. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  9. Targeting safety improvements through identification of incident origination and detection in a near-miss incident learning system.

    PubMed

    Novak, Avrey; Nyflot, Matthew J; Ermoian, Ralph P; Jordan, Loucille E; Sponseller, Patricia A; Kane, Gabrielle M; Ford, Eric C; Zeng, Jing

    2016-05-01

    Radiation treatment planning involves a complex workflow that has multiple potential points of vulnerability. This study utilizes an incident reporting system to identify the origination and detection points of near-miss errors, in order to guide their departmental safety improvement efforts. Previous studies have examined where errors arise, but not where they are detected or applied a near-miss risk index (NMRI) to gauge severity. From 3/2012 to 3/2014, 1897 incidents were analyzed from a departmental incident learning system. All incidents were prospectively reviewed weekly by a multidisciplinary team and assigned a NMRI score ranging from 0 to 4 reflecting potential harm to the patient (no potential harm to potential critical harm). Incidents were classified by point of incident origination and detection based on a 103-step workflow. The individual steps were divided among nine broad workflow categories (patient assessment, imaging for radiation therapy (RT) planning, treatment planning, pretreatment plan review, treatment delivery, on-treatment quality management, post-treatment completion, equipment/software quality management, and other). The average NMRI scores of incidents originating or detected within each broad workflow area were calculated. Additionally, out of 103 individual process steps, 35 were classified as safety barriers, the process steps whose primary function is to catch errors. The safety barriers which most frequently detected incidents were identified and analyzed. Finally, the distance between event origination and detection was explored by grouping events by the number of broad workflow area events passed through before detection, and average NMRI scores were compared. Near-miss incidents most commonly originated within treatment planning (33%). However, the incidents with the highest average NMRI scores originated during imaging for RT planning (NMRI = 2.0, average NMRI of all events = 1.5), specifically during the documentation of

  10. Linguistic analysis of large-scale medical incident reports for patient safety.

    PubMed

    Fujita, Katsuhide; Akiyama, Masanori; Park, Keunsik; Yamaguchi, Etsuko Nakagami; Furukawa, Hiroyuki

    2012-01-01

    The analysis of medical incident reports is indispensable for patient safety. The cycles between analysis of incident reports and proposals to medical staffs are a key point for improving the patient safety in the hospital. Most incident reports are composed from freely written descriptions, but an analysis of such free descriptions is not sufficient in the medical field. In this study, we aim to accumulate and reinterpret findings using structured incident information, to clarify improvements that should be made to solve the root cause of the accident, and to ensure safe medical treatment through such improvements. We employ natural language processing (NLP) and network analysis to identify effective categories of medical incident reports. Network analysis can find various relationships that are not only direct but also indirect. In addition, we compare bottom-up results obtained by NLP with existing categories based on experts' judgment. By the bottom-up analysis, the class of patient managements regarding patients' fallings and medicines in top-down analysis is created clearly. Finally, we present new perspectives on ways of improving patient safety.

  11. [Analysis of an incident notification system and register in a critical care unit].

    PubMed

    Murillo-Pérez, M A; García-Iglesias, M; Palomino-Sánchez, I; Cano Ruiz, G; Cuenca Solanas, M; Alted López, E

    2016-01-01

    To analyse the incident communicated through a notification system and register in a critical care unit. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted by performing an analysis of the records of incidents communicated anonymously and voluntarily from January 2007 to December 2013 in a critical care unit of adult patients with severe trauma. incident type and class, professional reports, and suggestions for improvement measures. A descriptive analysis was performed on the variables. Out of a total of 275 incidents reported, 58.5% of them were adverse events. Incident distributed by classes: medication, 33.7%; vascular access-drainage-catheter-sensor, 19.6%; devices-equipment, 13.3%, procedures, 11.5%; airway tract and mechanical ventilation, 10%; nursing care, 4.1%; inter-professional communication, 3%; diagnostic test, 3%; patient identification, 1.1%, and transfusion 0.7%. In the medication group, administrative errors accounted for a total of 62%; in vascular access-drainage-catheter-sensor group, central venous lines, a total of 27%; in devices and equipment group, respirators, a total of 46.9%; in airway self-extubations, a total of 32.1%. As regards to medication errors, 62% were incidents without damage. Incident notification by profession: doctors, 43%, residents, 5.6%, nurses, 51%, and technical assistants, 0.4%. Adverse events are the most communicated incidents. The events related to medication administration are the most frequent, although most of them were without damage. Nurses and doctors communicate the incidents with the same frequency. In order to highlight the low incident notification despite it being an anonymous and volunteer system, therefore, it is suggested to study measurements to increase the level of communication. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier España, S.L.U. y SEEIUC. All rights reserved.

  12. Incidence of second cancers after radiotherapy and systemic chemotherapy in heritable retinoblastoma survivors: A report from the German reference center.

    PubMed

    Temming, Petra; Arendt, Marina; Viehmann, Anja; Eisele, Lewin; Le Guin, Claudia H D; Schündeln, Michael M; Biewald, Eva; Astrahantseff, Kathy; Wieland, Regina; Bornfeld, Norbert; Sauerwein, Wolfgang; Eggert, Angelika; Jöckel, Karl-Heinz; Lohmann, Dietmar R

    2017-01-01

    Survivors of heritable retinoblastoma carry a high risk to develop second cancers. Eye-preserving radiotherapy raises this risk, while the impact of chemotherapy remains less defined. This population-based study characterizes the impact of all treatment modalities on second cancers incidence and type after retinoblastoma treatment in Germany. Data on second cancer incidence in 648 patients with heritable retinoblastoma treated between 1940 and 2008 at the German national reference center for retinoblastoma were analyzed to identify associations with treatment. The cumulative incidence ratio (per 1,000 person years) of second cancers was 8.6 (95% confidence interval 7.0-10.4). Second cancer incidence was influenced by type of retinoblastoma treatment but not by the year of diagnosis or by sex. Radiotherapy and systemic chemotherapy increased the incidence of second cancers (by 3.0- and 1.8-fold, respectively). While radiotherapy was specifically associated with second cancers arising within the periorbital region in the previously irradiated field, chemotherapy was the strongest risk factor for second cancers in other localizations. Soft tissue sarcomas and osteosarcomas were the most prevalent second cancers (standardized incidence ratio 179.35 compared to the German population). Second cancers remain a major concern in heritable retinoblastoma survivors. Consistent with previous reports, radiotherapy increased second cancer incidence and influenced type and localization. However, chemotherapy was the strongest risk factor for second malignancies outside the periorbital region. Our results provide screening priorities during life-long oncological follow-up based on the curative therapy the patient has received and emphasize the need for less-detrimental therapies for children with heritable retinoblastoma. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  13. [Patient safety: a comparison between handwritten and computerized voluntary incident reporting].

    PubMed

    Capucho, Helaine Carneiro; Arnas, Emilly Rasquini; Cassiani, Silvia Helena De Bortoli

    2013-03-01

    This study's objective was to compare two types of voluntary incident reporting methods that affect patient safety, handwritten (HR) and computerized (CR), in relation to the number of reports, type of incident reported the individual submitting the report, and quality of reports. This was a descriptive, retrospective and cross-sectional study. CR were more frequent than HR (61.2% vs. 38.6%) among the 1,089 reports analyzed and were submitted every day of the month, while HR were submitted only on weekdays. The highest number of reports referred to medication, followed by problems related to medical-hospital material and the professional who most frequently submitted reports were nurses in both cases. Overall CR presented higher quality than HR (86.1% vs. 61.7%); 36.8% of HR were illegible, a problem that was eliminated in CR. Therefore, the use of computerized incident reporting in hospitals favors qualified voluntary reports, increasing patient safety.

  14. Incident reporting in dentistry: Clinical supervisor's awareness, practice and perceived barriers.

    PubMed

    AlBlaihed, R M; AlSaeed, M I; Abuabat, A A; Ahsan, S H

    2017-12-21

    The significance of patient safety and risk management in dentistry has surfaced as dental settings bear delicate procedures carried out by teams utilising numerous devices and tools in complex environments. Our aim is to assess awareness, practice, attitude and perceived barriers of reporting incidents amongst dental clinical supervisors working at dental colleges in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The objectives are as follows: (i) Determine if correlations exist between socio-demographic data and supervisors' awareness, practice, attitude and perceived barriers. (ii) Identify most common perceived barriers. An online questionnaire was sent to the 450 clinical supervisors working at five dental colleges of Riyadh. The collected data included items assessing the awareness, practice and attitude of reporting students' incidents along with the perceived barriers. A response rate of (60.1% n = 264 of 450) was established. The majority of the respondents (62.9% n = 166) were aware of the incident reporting policy. Yet, only (35.4% n = 93) of them had completed an incident reporting form before. Most of the participants (90.5% n = 239) agreed on the necessity of reporting student's incidents, but only (67.0% n = 177) agreed on the necessity of reporting well-handled incidents. The possible negative relationship with students was the most agreed on barrier to reporting. This study shows that certain demographics of supervisors had significant relationship with their awareness, attitude, perceived barriers and practice. Awareness of the policy and form was linked to the increase in supervisors' practice, although they tend to report verbally rather than in writing. The possible negative relationship with students was the most common perceived barrier. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  15. Lessons for pediatric anesthesia from audit and incident reporting.

    PubMed

    Bell, Graham

    2011-07-01

    This review will attempt to put the various systems that allow clinicians to assess errors, omissions, or avoidable incidents into context and where possible, look for areas that deserve more or less attention and resource specifically for those of us who practice pediatric anesthesia. Different approaches will be contrasted with respect to their outputs in terms of positive impact on the practice of anesthesia. These approaches include audits by governmental organizations, national representative bodies, specialist societies, commissioned boards of inquiry, medicolegal sources, and police force investigations. Implementation strategies are considered alongside the reports as the reports cannot be considered end points themselves. Specific areas where pediatric anesthetics has failed to address recurring risk through any currently available tools will be highlighted. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  16. Hodgkin's disease incidence and survival in European children and adolescents (1978-1997): report from the Automated Cancer Information System project.

    PubMed

    Clavel, J; Steliarova-Foucher, E; Berger, C; Danon, S; Valerianova, Z

    2006-09-01

    This paper reports the geographical patterns and time trends of incidence and survival of Hodgkin's disease (HD) in children and adolescents in Europe over the period 1978-1997. Data on 4230 HD cases were gathered from 62 paediatric or general cancer registries in 19 European countries by the Automated Cancer Information System (ACCIS). European annual incidence rates in 1988-1997 were estimated at 5.8 per million in children (world age-standardised) and at 29.7 per million in adolescents, with higher rates in the East and South. Incidence rates increased steeply with age, while the male predominance, marked for the youngest children, vanished in the highest age groups. Over the period 1978-1997 incidence rates increased in age groups 10-14 years (+1% per year) and 15-19 years (+3.5% per year), mainly due to the nodular sclerosis subtype. Age and sex distribution of cases remained unchanged with time. The overall 5-year survival rate was higher in children (93%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 92-94) than in adolescents (89% (95% CI 87-91)) for the period 1988-1997. Five-year survival increased significantly in all regions from 87% to 93% in children and from 80% to 88% in adolescents between 1978-1982 and 1993-1997. In future, detailed documentation of cases in the cancer registries with respect to standardised diagnostic subtypes, stage of extension, and treatments, will help to refine interpretation of international and temporal variations in incidence and survival.

  17. A study on the mutual causation of suicide reporting and suicide incidences.

    PubMed

    Yip, Paul S F; Kwok, Simon Sai Man; Chen, Feng; Xu, Xiaochen; Chen, Ying-Yeh

    2013-05-15

    Little research has been done on the complex relationships between the effect of news reporting on suicide incidence and vice versa (i.e., mutual causation). Furthermore, few studies have examined whether the entry of a new media outlet into a market changes the media dynamics in that market. A recursive two-way feedback model was used to test for mutual causation between suicide reporting and suicide incidence on a daily basis. We applied the model to examine the effect of the arrival of the Apple Daily (AD) newspaper in Taiwan and whether its suicide reporting affected the suicide incidence and suicide reporting of two other newspapers, the United Daily (UD) and the China Times (CT). The AD's entry into Taiwan led to a major shift in the relationship between suicide incidence and suicide reporting. The AD stimulated more suicide coverage by the UD and the CT the following day; conversely, the UD and the CT had no such impact on the AD. Before the entry of the AD, there was little correlation between daily suicide incidence and suicide reporting, but the suicide reporting of the UD and CT correlated significantly with daily suicide incidence after the entry of the AD. Media impact was assessed by number of news items; detailed content analysis of the reporting was not conducted. The vicious business competition facing new dailies in Taiwan's media market has changed the mass media ecology. Efforts to prevent suicide by regulating the media should closely monitor not only the behavior of newcomers, but also the established news media's reaction to new competitors. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Incidence of patient safety events and process-related human failures during intra-hospital transportation of patients: retrospective exploration from the institutional incident reporting system.

    PubMed

    Yang, Shu-Hui; Jerng, Jih-Shuin; Chen, Li-Chin; Li, Yu-Tsu; Huang, Hsiao-Fang; Wu, Chao-Ling; Chan, Jing-Yuan; Huang, Szu-Fen; Liang, Huey-Wen; Sun, Jui-Sheng

    2017-11-03

    Intra-hospital transportation (IHT) might compromise patient safety because of different care settings and higher demand on the human operation. Reports regarding the incidence of IHT-related patient safety events and human failures remain limited. To perform a retrospective analysis of IHT-related events, human failures and unsafe acts. A hospital-wide process for the IHT and database from the incident reporting system in a medical centre in Taiwan. All eligible IHT-related patient safety events between January 2010 to December 2015 were included. Incidence rate of IHT-related patient safety events, human failure modes, and types of unsafe acts. There were 206 patient safety events in 2 009 013 IHT sessions (102.5 per 1 000 000 sessions). Most events (n=148, 71.8%) did not involve patient harm, and process events (n=146, 70.9%) were most common. Events at the location of arrival (n=101, 49.0%) were most frequent; this location accounted for 61.0% and 44.2% of events with patient harm and those without harm, respectively (p<0.001). Of the events with human failures (n=186), the most common related process step was the preparation of the transportation team (n=91, 48.9%). Contributing unsafe acts included perceptual errors (n=14, 7.5%), decision errors (n=56, 30.1%), skill-based errors (n=48, 25.8%), and non-compliance (n=68, 36.6%). Multivariate analysis showed that human failure found in the arrival and hand-off sub-process (OR 4.84, p<0.001) was associated with increased patient harm, whereas the presence of omission (OR 0.12, p<0.001) was associated with less patient harm. This study shows a need to reduce human failures to prevent patient harm during intra-hospital transportation. We suggest that the transportation team pay specific attention to the sub-process at the location of arrival and prevent errors other than omissions. Long-term monitoring of IHT-related events is also warranted. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the

  19. PAIRS, The GIS-Based Incident Response System for Pennsylvania, and NASA

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Conrad, Eric; Arbegast, Daniel; Maynard, Nancy; Vicente, Gilberto

    2003-01-01

    Over the past several years the Pennsylvania Departments of Environmental Protection (DEP), Health (DOH), and Agriculture (PDA) built the GIs-based Pennsylvania West Nile Surveillance System. That system has become a model for collecting data that has a field component, laboratory component, reporting and mapping component, and a public information component. Given the success of the West Nile Virus System and the events of September 11, 2001, DEP then embarked on the development of the Pennsylvania Incident Response System, or PAIRS. PAIRS is an effective GIs-based approach to providing a system for response to incidents of any kind, including terrorism because it is building upon the existing experience, infrastructure and databases that were successfully developed to respond to the West Nile Virus by DEP, DOH, and PDA. The proposed system can be described as one that supports data acquisition, laboratory forensics, decision making/response, and communications. Decision makers will have tools to view and analyze data from various sources and, at the same time, to communicate with the large numbers of people responding to the same incident. Recent collaborations with NASA partners are creating mechanisms for the PAIRS system to incorporate space-based and other remote sensing geophysical parameters relevant to public health assessment and management, such as surface temperatures, precipitation, land cover/land use change, and humidity. This presentation will describe the PAIRS system and outline the Pennsylvania-NASA collaboration for integration of space-based data into the PAIRS system.

  20. Physician reported incidence of early and late Lyme borreliosis.

    PubMed

    Hofhuis, Agnetha; Harms, Margriet; Bennema, Sita; van den Wijngaard, Cees C; van Pelt, Wilfrid

    2015-03-15

    Lyme borreliosis is the most common vector-borne disease in Europe and North America. The objective of this study is to estimate the incidence of tick bites and Lyme borreliosis, representative of our entire country, including erythema migrans, disseminated Lyme borreliosis and persisting symptoms attributed to Lyme borreliosis. A questionnaire on clinical diagnoses of Lyme borreliosis was sent to all GPs, company physicians, and medical specialists. To adjust for possible misclassification and telescoping bias, we sent additional questionnaires to categorize reported cases according to likelihood of the diagnosis and to exclude cases diagnosed outside the target period. Adjusted annual incidence rate for disseminated Lyme borreliosis was 7.7 GP reports per 100,000 inhabitants, and for persisting symptoms attributed to Lyme borreliosis was 5.5 GP reports per 100,000 inhabitants, i.e. approximately 1,300 and 900 cases respectively. GP consultations for tick bites and erythema migrans diagnoses were 495 and 132 per 100,000 inhabitants, respectively, i.e. 82,000 and 22,000 cases in 2010. This is the first reported nationwide physician survey on the incidence of tick bites and the whole range of manifestations of Lyme borreliosis, including persisting symptoms attributed to Lyme borreliosis. This is crucial for complete assessment of the public health impact of Lyme borreliosis.

  1. Relationship between tort claims and patient incident reports in the Veterans Health Administration

    PubMed Central

    Schmidek, J; Weeks, W

    2005-01-01

    Objective: The Veterans Health Administration's patient incident reporting system was established to obtain comprehensive data on adverse events that affect patients and to act as a harbinger for risk management. It maintains a dataset of tort claims that are made against Veterans Administration's employees acting within the scope of employment. In an effort to understand the thoroughness of reporting, we examined the relationship between tort claims and patient incident reports (PIRs). Methods: Using social security and record numbers, we matched 8260 tort claims and 32 207 PIRs from fiscal years 1993–2000. Tort claims and PIRs were considered to be related if the recorded dates of incident were within 1 month of each other. Descriptive statistics, odds ratios, and two sample t tests with unequal variances were used to determine the relationship between PIRs and tort claims. Results: 4.15% of claims had a related PIR. Claim payment (either settlement or judgment for plaintiff) was more likely when associated with a PIR (OR 3.62; 95% CI 2.87 to 4.60). Payment was most likely for medication errors (OR 8.37; 95% CI 2.05 to 73.25) and least likely for suicides (OR 0.25; 95% CI 0.11 to 0.55). Conclusions: Although few tort claims had a related PIR, if a PIR was present the tort claim was more likely to result in a payment; moreover, the payment was likely to be higher. Underreporting of patient incidents that developed into tort claims was evident. Our findings suggest that, in the Veterans Health Administration, there is a higher propensity to both report and settle PIRs with bad outcomes. PMID:15805457

  2. The Incident Command System: a literature review.

    PubMed

    Jensen, Jessica; Thompson, Steven

    2016-01-01

    Given the foundational and the fundamental role that the Incident Command System (ICS) is intended to play in on-scene response efforts across the United States, it is important to determine what is known about the system and how this is known. Accordingly, this study addresses the following research question: 'How has research explored the ICS?'. To probe this question, a methodological review of the scant, but widening, pool of research literature directly related to the ICS was conducted. This paper reports on the findings of the analysis related to the focus, theoretical frameworks, population and sampling, methods, results, and conclusions of the existing research literature. While undertaken using different methodological approaches, the ICS research suggests that the system may be limited in its usefulness. In addition, the paper discusses the implications of the research for the state of knowledge of the system and for the direction of future research. © 2016 The Author(s). Disasters © Overseas Development Institute, 2016.

  3. A cross-sectional mixed methods study protocol to generate learning from patient safety incidents reported from general practice.

    PubMed

    Carson-Stevens, Andrew; Hibbert, Peter; Avery, Anthony; Butlin, Amy; Carter, Ben; Cooper, Alison; Evans, Huw Prosser; Gibson, Russell; Luff, Donna; Makeham, Meredith; McEnhill, Paul; Panesar, Sukhmeet S; Parry, Gareth; Rees, Philippa; Shiels, Emma; Sheikh, Aziz; Ward, Hope Olivia; Williams, Huw; Wood, Fiona; Donaldson, Liam; Edwards, Adrian

    2015-12-01

    Incident reports contain descriptions of errors and harms that occurred during clinical care delivery. Few observational studies have characterised incidents from general practice, and none of these have been from the England and Wales National Reporting and Learning System. This study aims to describe incidents reported from a general practice care setting. A general practice patient safety incident classification will be developed to characterise patient safety incidents. A weighted-random sample of 12,500 incidents describing no harm, low harm and moderate harm of patients, and all incidents describing severe harm and death of patients will be classified. Insights from exploratory descriptive statistics and thematic analysis will be combined to identify priority areas for future interventions. The need for ethical approval was waivered by the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board research risk review committee given the anonymised nature of data (ABHB R&D Ref number: SA/410/13). The authors will submit the results of the study to relevant journals and undertake national and international oral presentations to researchers, clinicians and policymakers. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

  4. Pediatric critical incidents reported over 15 years at a tertiary care teaching hospital of a developing country.

    PubMed

    Abbasi, Shemila; Khan, Fauzia Anis; Khan, Sobia

    2018-01-01

    The role of critical incident (CI) reporting is well established in improving patient safety but only a limited number of available reports relate to pediatric incidents. Our aim was to analyze the reported CIs specific to pediatric patients in our database and to reevaluate the value of this program in addressing issues in pediatric anesthesia practice. Incidents related to pediatric population from neonatal period till the age of 12 years were selected. A review of all CI records collected between January 1998 and December 2012, in the Department of Anaesthesiology of Aga Khan University hospital was done. This was retrospective form review. The Department has a structured CI form in use since 1998 which is intermittently evaluated and modified if needed. A total of 451 pediatric CIs were included. Thirty-four percent of the incidents were reported in infants. Ninety-six percent of the reported incidents took place during elective surgery and 4% during emergency surgery. Equipment-related events (n = 114), respiratory events (n = 112), and drug events (n = 110) were equally distributed (25.6%, 25.3%, and 24.7%). Human factors accounted for 74% of reports followed by, equipment failure (10%) and patient factors (8%). Only 5% of the incidents were system errors. Failure to check (equipment/drugs/doses) was the most common cause for human factors. Poor outcome was seen in 7% of cases. Medication and equipment are the clinical areas that need to be looked at more closely. We also recommend quality improvement projects in both these areas as well as training of residents and staff in managing airway-related problems in pediatric patients.

  5. Prevention of a wrong-location misadministration through the use of an intradepartmental incident learning system

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ford, Eric C.; Smith, Koren; Harris, Kendra

    2012-11-15

    Purpose: A series of examples are presented in which potential errors in the delivery of radiation therapy were prevented through use of incident learning. These examples underscore the value of reporting near miss incidents. Methods: Using a departmental incident learning system, eight incidents were noted over a two-year period in which fields were treated 'out-of-sequence,' that is, fields from a boost phase were treated, while the patient was still in the initial phase of treatment. As a result, an error-prevention policy was instituted in which radiation treatment fields are 'hidden' within the oncology information system (OIS) when they are notmore » in current use. In this way, fields are only available to be treated in the intended sequence and, importantly, old fields cannot be activated at the linear accelerator control console. Results: No out-of-sequence treatments have been reported in more than two years since the policy change. Furthermore, at least three near-miss incidents were detected and corrected as a result of the policy change. In the first two, the policy operated as intended to directly prevent an error in field scheduling. In the third near-miss, the policy operated 'off target' to prevent a type of error scenario that it was not directly intended to prevent. In this incident, an incorrect digitally reconstructed radiograph (DRR) was scheduled in the OIS for a patient receiving lung cancer treatment. The incorrect DRR had an isocenter which was misplaced by approximately two centimeters. The error was a result of a field from an old plan being scheduled instead of the intended new plan. As a result of the policy described above, the DRR field could not be activated for treatment however and the error was discovered and corrected. Other quality control barriers in place would have been unlikely to have detected this error. Conclusions: In these examples, a policy was adopted based on incident learning, which prevented several errors, at

  6. Differences in reported sepsis incidence according to study design: a literature review.

    PubMed

    Mariansdatter, Saga Elise; Eiset, Andreas Halgreen; Søgaard, Kirstine Kobberøe; Christiansen, Christian Fynbo

    2016-10-12

    Sepsis and severe sepsis are common conditions in hospital settings, and are associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality, but reported incidences vary considerably. In this literature review, we describe the variation in reported population-based incidences of sepsis and severe sepsis. We also examine methodological and demographic differences between studies that may explain this variation. We carried out a literature review searching three major databases and reference lists of relevant articles, to identify all original studies reporting the incidence of sepsis or severe sepsis in the general population. Two authors independently assessed all articles, and the final decision to exclude an article was reached by consensus. We extracted data according to predetermined variables, including study country, sepsis definition, and data source. We then calculated descriptive statistics for the reported incidences of sepsis and severe sepsis. The studies were classified according to the method used to identify cases of sepsis or severe sepsis: chart-based (i.e. review of patient charts) or code-based (i.e. predetermined International Classification of Diseases [ICD] codes). Among 482 articles initially screened, we identified 23 primary publications reporting incidence of sepsis and/or severe sepsis in the general population. The reported incidences ranged from 74 to 1180 per 100,000 person-years and 3 to 1074 per 100,000 person-years for sepsis and severe sepsis, respectively. Most chart-based studies used the Bone criteria (or a modification hereof) and Protein C Worldwide Evaluation in Severe Sepsis (PROWESS) study criteria to identify cases of sepsis and severe sepsis. Most code-based studies used ICD-9 codes, but the number of codes used ranged from 1 to more than 1200. We found that the incidence varied according to how sepsis was identified (chart-based vs. code-based), calendar year, data source, and world region. The reported incidences of sepsis and

  7. EHR Improvement Using Incident Reports.

    PubMed

    Teame, Tesfay; Stålhane, Tor; Nytrø, Øystein

    2017-01-01

    This paper discusses reactive improvement of clinical software using methods for incident analysis. We used the "Five Whys" method because we had only descriptive data and depended on a domain expert for the analysis. The analysis showed that there are two major root causes for EHR software failure, and that they are related to human and organizational errors. A main identified improvement is allocating more resources to system maintenance and user training.

  8. Professional attitudes toward incident reporting: can we measure and compare improvements in patient safety culture?

    PubMed

    Tricarico, Pierfrancesco; Castriotta, Luigi; Battistella, Claudio; Bellomo, Fabrizio; Cattani, Giovanni; Grillone, Lucrezia; Degan, Stefania; De Corti, Daniela; Brusaferro, Silvio

    2017-04-01

    To establish categories of professionals' attitudes toward incident reporting by analyzing the trends in incident reporting while accounting for general risk indicators. The incident reporting system was evaluated over 6 years. Reporting rates, stratified by year and profession, were estimated using the non-mandatory reported events/full-time equivalent (NM-IR/FTE) rate. Other indicators were collected using the hospital's official database. Staff attitudes toward self-reporting were analyzed. Univariate and multivariable analyses were performed. A 1000-bed Italian academic hospital. Staff of the hospital (over 3200 professionals). None. NM-IT/FTE rates, self-reported rates, patient complaints/praises, work accidents among professionals and 30-day readmissions. The overall reporting rate was 0.44 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.42-0.46) among doctors and 0.40 (95% CI: 0.39-0.41) among nurses. Between 2010 and 2015, only the doctors' reporting rate increased significantly (P = 0.04), from 0.29 (95% CI: 0.25-0.34) to 0.67 (95% CI: 0.60-0.73). Patient complaints decreased from 384 to 224 (P < 0.001) and work accidents decreased from 296 to 235 (P = 0.01), while other indicators remained constant. Multivariable logistic regression showed that self-reporting was more likely among nurses than doctors (odds ratio: 1.51; 95% CI: 1.31-1.73) and for severe events than near misses (odds ratio: 1.78; 95% CI: 1.11-2.87). Because the doctors' reporting rates increased during the study period, doctors may be more likely to report adverse events than nurses, although nurses reported more events. Incident reporting trends and other routinely collected risk indicators may be useful to improve our understanding and measurement of patient safety issues. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press in association with the International Society for Quality in Health Care. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

  9. 41 CFR 102-33.445 - What accident and incident data must we report?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false What accident and... 33-MANAGEMENT OF GOVERNMENT AIRCRAFT Reporting Information on Government Aircraft Accident and Incident Data § 102-33.445 What accident and incident data must we report? You must report within 14...

  10. Community exposures to chemical incidents: development and evaluation of the first environmental public health surveillance system in europe.

    PubMed

    Bowen, H J; Palmer, S R; Fielder, H M; Coleman, G; Routledge, P A; Fone, D L

    2000-11-01

    To describe the frequency, nature and location of acute chemical incidents in Wales, and the morbidity in employees, emergency responders and the general public who were exposed. Active multi-agency community-based surveillance system. Wales, 1993-5. Frequency, nature and location of incidents, populations potentially exposed and with symptoms. Most of the 402 incidents identified were not associated with sites governed by the Control of Industrial Major Accident Hazard Regulations but with smaller industrial sites and commercial premises. About two in every thousand of the estimated 236 000 members of the public considered to be at risk from exposure reported symptoms, which were mainly nausea, headaches, and irritation of the eye, skin and respiratory tract. The most commonly reported chemicals that members of the public were exposed to were smoke toxins, miscellaneous organics, toxic gases and flammable gases. A health authority was reported to be involved in only 34 (8%) of the incidents and in only 3 of the 29 incidents where more than 100 members of the public were exposed. A geographically defined, multi-agency surveillance system can identify high risk locations and types of incidents, together with the chemicals most likely to be involved. Such ongoing surveillance information is essential for appropriate policy making, emergency planning, operational management and training.

  11. National Incident Management System (NIMS) Standards Review Panel Workshop Summary Report

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Stenner, Robert D.; Kirk, Jennifer L.; Stanton, James R.

    The importance and need for full compliant implementation of NIMS nationwide was clearly demonstrated during the Hurricane Katrina event, which was clearly expressed in Secretary Chertoff's October 4, 2005 letter addressed to the State's governors. It states, ''Hurricane Katrina was a stark reminder of how critical it is for our nation to approach incident management in a coordinated, consistent, and efficient manner. We must be able to come together, at all levels of government, to prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from any emergency or disaster. Our operations must be seamless and based on common incident management doctrine, becausemore » the challenges we face as a nation are far greater than capabilities of any one jurisdiction.'' The NIMS is a system/architecture for organizing response on a ''national'' level. It incorporations ICS as a main component of that structure (i.e., it institutionalizes ICS in NIMS). In a paper published on the NIMS Website, the following statements were made: ''NIMS represents a core set of doctrine, principles, terminology, and organizational processes to enable effective, efficient and collaborative incident management at all levels. To provide the framework for interoperability and compatibility, the NIMS is based on a balance between flexibility and standardization.'' Thus the NIC is challenged with the need to adopt quality SDO generated standards to support NIMS compliance, but in doing so maintain the flexibility necessary so that response operations can be tailored for the specific jurisdictional and geographical needs across the nation. In support of this large and complex challenge facing the NIC, the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) was asked to provide technical support to the NIC, through their DHS Science and Technology ? Standards Portfolio Contract, to help identify, review, and develop key standards for NIMS compliance. Upon examining the challenge, the following general process appears

  12. The Incidence of Human Papillomavirus in Tanzanian Adolescent Girls Before Reported Sexual Debut.

    PubMed

    Houlihan, Catherine F; Baisley, Kathy; Bravo, Ignacio G; Kapiga, Saidi; de Sanjosé, Silvia; Changalucha, John; Ross, David A; Hayes, Richard J; Watson-Jones, Deborah

    2016-03-01

    Acquisition of human papillomavirus (HPV) in women occurs predominantly through vaginal sex. However, HPV has been detected in girls reporting no previous sex. We aimed to determine incidence and risk factors for HPV acquisition in girls who report no previous sex in Tanzania, a country with high HPV prevalence and cervical cancer incidence. We followed 503 adolescent girls aged 15-16 years in Mwanza, Tanzania, with face-to-face interviews and self-administered vaginal swabs every 3 months for 18 months; 397 girls reported no sex before enrollment or during follow-up; of whom, 120 were randomly selected. Samples from enrollment, 6-, 12-, and 18-month visits were tested for 37 HPV genotypes. Incidence, clearance, point prevalence, and duration of any HPV and genotype-specific infections were calculated and associated factors were evaluated. Of 120 girls who reported no previous sex, 119 were included, contributing 438 samples. HPV was detected in 51 (11.6%) samples. The overall incidence of new HPV infections was 29.4/100 person-years (95% confidence interval: 15.9-54.2). The point prevalence of vaccine types HPV-6,-11,-16, and -18 was .9%, .9%, 2.0%, and 0%, respectively. Spending a night away from home and using the Internet were associated with incident HPV, and reporting having seen a pornographic movie was inversely associated with HPV incidence. Incident HPV infections were detected frequently in adolescent girls who reported no previous sex over 18 months. This is likely to reflect under-reporting of sex. A low-point prevalence of HPV genotypes in licensed vaccines was seen, indicating that vaccination of these girls might still be effective. Copyright © 2016 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. All rights reserved.

  13. The Incidence of Human Papillomavirus in Tanzanian Adolescent Girls Before Reported Sexual Debut

    PubMed Central

    Houlihan, Catherine F.; Baisley, Kathy; Bravo, Ignacio G.; Kapiga, Saidi; de Sanjosé, Silvia; Changalucha, John; Ross, David A.; Hayes, Richard J.; Watson-Jones, Deborah

    2016-01-01

    Purpose Acquisition of human papillomavirus (HPV) in women occurs predominantly through vaginal sex. However, HPV has been detected in girls reporting no previous sex. We aimed to determine incidence and risk factors for HPV acquisition in girls who report no previous sex in Tanzania, a country with high HPV prevalence and cervical cancer incidence. Methods We followed 503 adolescent girls aged 15–16 years in Mwanza, Tanzania, with face-to-face interviews and self-administered vaginal swabs every 3 months for 18 months; 397 girls reported no sex before enrollment or during follow-up; of whom, 120 were randomly selected. Samples from enrollment, 6-, 12-, and 18-month visits were tested for 37 HPV genotypes. Incidence, clearance, point prevalence, and duration of any HPV and genotype-specific infections were calculated and associated factors were evaluated. Results Of 120 girls who reported no previous sex, 119 were included, contributing 438 samples. HPV was detected in 51 (11.6%) samples. The overall incidence of new HPV infections was 29.4/100 person-years (95% confidence interval: 15.9–54.2). The point prevalence of vaccine types HPV-6,-11,-16, and -18 was .9%, .9%, 2.0%, and 0%, respectively. Spending a night away from home and using the Internet were associated with incident HPV, and reporting having seen a pornographic movie was inversely associated with HPV incidence. Conclusions Incident HPV infections were detected frequently in adolescent girls who reported no previous sex over 18 months. This is likely to reflect under-reporting of sex. A low-point prevalence of HPV genotypes in licensed vaccines was seen, indicating that vaccination of these girls might still be effective. PMID:26725717

  14. Reporting of Violent and Disruptive Incidents by Public Schools. Report 2005-S-38

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    New York State Education Department, 2006

    2006-01-01

    The objective of this report was to determine whether the State Education Department (SED) has developed effective processes for (1) ensuring that school districts report violent and disruptive incidents to SED in accordance with State law and regulations, (2) identifying schools that should be designated as persistently dangerous because of their…

  15. 14 CFR 91.1021 - Internal safety reporting and incident/accident response.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    .../accident response. 91.1021 Section 91.1021 Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION... incident/accident response. (a) Each program manager must establish an internal anonymous safety reporting.... (b) Each program manager must establish procedures to respond to an aviation incident/accident. ...

  16. Reported fatal and non-fatal incidents involving tourists in Thailand, July 1997-June 1999.

    PubMed

    Leggat, Peter A; Leggat, Frances W

    2003-05-01

    Objectives. To examine fatal and non-fatal incidents involving tourists in Thailand. Methods. Press records from a major English language newspaper for the period from July 1997 to June 1999 were examined for reports of fatal and non-fatal incidents involving tourists. Results. From July 1997 to June 1999, up to 233 deaths were reported and up to a further 216 were reported injured in incidents involving tourists. One hundred and one deaths and 45 injured were reported following one major domestic jet aircraft crash in southern Thailand, however, it was not stated what proportion of casualties were tourists. Approximately 90 people perished in a single hotel fire in southeast Thailand. Most of the victims were local travellers attending meetings of two Thai companies. Sixteen deaths and 86 injured resulted from five road accidents. The majority of deaths and injuries involved foreigners. Twelve deaths and at least 33 injured resulted from three ferry and tour boat accidents. Most victims were reported to be foreigners. Three deaths and 35 injured resulted from a single cable car accident in northern Thailand. Most of these were Thai tourists, however, four of the injured were foreigners. Eight deaths and six injured resulted from 11 muggings and other violent incidents. All were foreigners. Six deaths were reportedly connected to a scam at the airport in Bangkok involving unlicensed airport taxis. Three deaths and four injured were due to other reported incidents. Conclusions. Newspaper reports of fatal and non-fatal incidents involving tourists in Thailand were probably uncommon, particularly given the volume of tourists entering the Kingdom, although better reporting mechanisms are needed. With the exception of the unusual major incidents, most reported fatal and non-fatal incidents involving tourists were due to road trauma and other transportation accidents, muggings, and occasional water sports and other accidents, which could occur at any major tourist

  17. Experiences from ten years of incident reporting in health care: a qualitative study among department managers and coordinators.

    PubMed

    Carlfjord, Siw; Öhrn, Annica; Gunnarsson, Anna

    2018-02-14

    Incident reporting (IR) in health care has been advocated as a means to improve patient safety. The purpose of IR is to identify safety hazards and develop interventions to mitigate these hazards in order to reduce harm in health care. Using qualitative methods is a way to reveal how IR is used and perceived in health care practice. The aim of the present study was to explore the experiences of IR from two different perspectives, including heads of departments and IR coordinators, to better understand how they value the practice and their thoughts regarding future application. Data collection was performed in Östergötland County, Sweden, where an electronic IR system was implemented in 2004, and the authorities explicitly have advocated IR from that date. A purposive sample of nine heads of departments from three hospitals were interviewed, and two focus group discussions with IR coordinators took place. Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis. Two main themes emerged from the data: "Incident reporting has come to stay" building on the categories entitled perceived advantages, observed changes and value of the IR system, and "Remaining challenges in incident reporting" including the categories entitled need for action, encouraged learning, continuous culture improvement, IR system development and proper use of IR. After 10 years, the practice of IR is widely accepted in the selected setting. IR has helped to put patient safety on the agenda, and a cultural change towards no blame has been observed. The informants suggest an increased focus on action, and further development of the tools for reporting and handling incidents.

  18. Patient-reported safety incidents in older patients with long-term conditions: a large cross-sectional study

    PubMed Central

    Panagioti, Maria; Blakeman, Thomas; Hann, Mark; Bower, Peter

    2017-01-01

    Background Increasing evidence suggests that patient safety is a serious concern for older patients with long-term conditions. Despite this, there is a lack of research on safety incidents encountered by this patient group. In this study, we sought to examine patient reports of safety incidents and factors associated with reports of safety incidents in older patients with long-term conditions. Methods The baseline cross-sectional data from a longitudinal cohort study were analysed. Older patients (n=3378 aged 65 years and over) with a long-term condition registered in general practices were included in the study. The main outcome was patient-reported safety incidents including availability and appropriateness of medical tests and prescription of wrong types or doses of medication. Binary univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were undertaken to examine factors associated with patient-reported safety incidents. Results Safety incidents were reported by 11% of the patients. Four factors were significantly associated with patient-reported safety incidents in multivariate analyses. The experience of multiple long-term conditions (OR=1.09, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.13), a probable diagnosis of depression (OR=1.36, 95% CI 1.06 to 1.74) and greater relational continuity of care (OR=1.28, 95% CI 1.08 to 1.52) were associated with increased odds for patient-reported safety incidents. Perceived greater support and involvement in self-management was associated with lower odds for patient-reported safety incidents (OR=0.95, 95% CI 0.93 to 0.97). Conclusions We found that older patients with multimorbidity and depression are more likely to report experiences of patient safety incidents. Improving perceived support and involvement of patients in their care may help prevent patient-reported safety incidents. PMID:28559454

  19. Analysis of the sex ratio of reported gonorrhoea incidence in Shenzhen, China

    PubMed Central

    Xiong, Mingzhou; Lan, Lina; Feng, Tiejian; Zhao, Guanglu; Wang, Feng; Hong, Fuchang; Wu, Xiaobing; Zhang, Chunlai; Wen, Lizhang; Liu, Aizhong; Best, John McCulloch; Tang, Weiming

    2016-01-01

    Objective To assess the clinical process of gonorrhoea diagnosis and report in China, and to determine the difference of sex ratio between reported incidence based on reporting data and true diagnosis rate based on reference tests of gonorrhoea. Setting A total of 26 dermatology and sexually transmitted disease (STD) departments, 34 obstetrics-gynaecology clinics and 28 urology outpatient clinics selected from 34 hospitals of Shenzhen regarded as our study sites. Participants A total of 2754 participants were recruited in this study, and 2534 participants completed the questionnaire survey and provided genital tract secretion specimens. There were 1106 male and 1428 female participants. Eligible participants were patients who presented for outpatient STD care at the selected clinics for the first time in October 2012 were at least 18 years old, and were able to give informed consent. Outcome measures Untested rate, true-positive rate, false-negative rate and unreported rate of gonorrhoea, as well as reported gonorrhoea incidence sex ratio and true diagnosis sex ratio were calculated and used to describe the results. Results 2534 participants were enrolled in the study. The untested rate of gonorrhoea among females was significantly higher than that among males (female 88.1%, male 68.3%, p=0.001). The male-to-female sex ratios of untested rate, true-positive rate, false-negative rate and unreported rate were 1:1.3, 1.2:1, 1:1.6 and 1:1.4, respectively. The reported gonorrhoea incidence sex ratio of new diagnosed gonorrhoea was 19.8:1 (male vs female: 87/1106 vs 5/1420), while the true diagnosis sex ratio was 2.5:1 (male vs female: 161/1106 vs 84/1420). These data indicate that the sex ratio of reported gonorrhoea incidence has been overestimated by a factor of 7.9 (19.8/2.5). Conclusions We found the current reported gonorrhoea incidence and sex ratios to be inaccurate due to underestimations of gonorrhoea incidence, especially among women. PMID:26975933

  20. A Real-Time Safety and Quality Reporting System: Assessment of Clinical Data and Staff Participation

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Rahn, Douglas A.; Kim, Gwe-Ya; Mundt, Arno J.

    Purpose: To report on the use of an incident learning system in a radiation oncology clinic, along with a review of staff participation. Methods and Materials: On September 24, 2010, our department initiated an online real-time voluntary reporting system for safety issues, called the Radiation Oncology Quality Reporting System (ROQRS). We reviewed these reports from the program's inception through January 18, 2013 (2 years, 3 months, 25 days) to assess error reports (defined as both near-misses and incidents of inaccurate treatment). Results: During the study interval, there were 60,168 fractions of external beam radiation therapy and 955 brachytherapy procedures. There were 298 entriesmore » in the ROQRS system, among which 108 errors were reported. There were 31 patients with near-misses reported and 27 patients with incidents of inaccurate treatment reported. These incidents of inaccurate treatment occurred in 68 total treatment fractions (0.11% of treatments delivered during the study interval). None of these incidents of inaccurate treatment resulted in deviation from the prescription by 5% or more. A solution to the errors was documented in ROQRS in 65% of the cases. Errors occurred as repeated errors in 22% of the cases. A disproportionate number of the incidents of inaccurate treatment were due to improper patient setup at the linear accelerator (P<.001). Physician participation in ROQRS was nonexistent initially, but improved after an education program. Conclusions: Incident learning systems are a useful and practical means of improving safety and quality in patient care.« less

  1. Evaluation of Incident Detection Methodologies

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1999-10-01

    Original Report Date: October 1998. The detection of freeway incidents is an essential element of an area's traffic management system. Incidents need to be detected and handled as promptly as possible to minimize delay to the public. Various algorith...

  2. The effectiveness of the error reporting promoting program on the nursing error incidence rate in Korean operating rooms.

    PubMed

    Kim, Myoung-Soo; Kim, Jung-Soon; Jung, In Sook; Kim, Young Hae; Kim, Ho Jung

    2007-03-01

    The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate an error reporting promoting program(ERPP) to systematically reduce the incidence rate of nursing errors in operating room. A non-equivalent control group non-synchronized design was used. Twenty-six operating room nurses who were in one university hospital in Busan participated in this study. They were stratified into four groups according to their operating room experience and were allocated to the experimental and control groups using a matching method. Mann-Whitney U Test was used to analyze the differences pre and post incidence rates of nursing errors between the two groups. The incidence rate of nursing errors decreased significantly in the experimental group compared to the pre-test score from 28.4% to 15.7%. The incidence rate by domains, it decreased significantly in the 3 domains-"compliance of aseptic technique", "management of document", "environmental management" in the experimental group while it decreased in the control group which was applied ordinary error-reporting method. Error-reporting system can make possible to hold the errors in common and to learn from them. ERPP was effective to reduce the errors of recognition-related nursing activities. For the wake of more effective error-prevention, we will be better to apply effort of risk management along the whole health care system with this program.

  3. Analysis of Incident and Accident Reports and Risk Management in Spine Surgery.

    PubMed

    Kobayashi, Kazuyoshi; Imagama, Shiro; Ando, Kei; Hida, Tetsuro; Ito, Kenyu; Tsushima, Mikito; Ishikawa, Yoshimoto; Matsumoto, Akiyuki; Morozumi, Masayoshi; Nishida, Yoshihiro; Nagao, Yoshimasa; Ishiguro, Naoki

    2017-08-01

    A review of accident and incident reports. To analyze prevalence, characteristics, and details of perioperative incidents and accidents in patients receiving spine surgery. In our institution, a clinical error that potentially results in an adverse event is usually submitted as an incident or accident report through a web database, to ensure anonymous and blame-free reporting. All reports are analyzed by a medical safety management group. These reports contain valuable data for management of medical safety, but there have been no studies evaluating such data for spine surgery. A total of 320 incidents and accidents that occurred perioperatively in 172 of 415 spine surgeries were included in the study. Incidents were defined as events that were "problematic, but with no damage to the patient," and accidents as events "with damage to the patient." The details of these events were analyzed. There were 278 incidents in 137 surgeries and 42 accidents in 35 surgeries, giving prevalence of 33% (137/415) and 8% (35/415), respectively. The proportion of accidents among all events was significantly higher for doctors than non-doctors [68.0% (17/25) vs. 8.5% (25/295), P < 0.01] and in the operating room compared with outside the operating room [40.5% (15/37) vs. 9.5% (27/283), P < 0.01]. There was no significant difference in years of experience among personnel involved in all events. The major types of events were medication-related, line and tube problems, and falls and slips. Accidents also occurred because of a long-term prone position, with complications such as laryngeal edema, ulnar nerve palsy, and tooth damage. Surgery and procedures in the operating room always have a risk of complications. Therefore, a particular effort is needed to establish safe management of this environment and to provide advice on risk to the doctor and medical care team. 4.

  4. Exploring the Influence of Nurse Work Environment and Patient Safety Culture on Attitudes Toward Incident Reporting.

    PubMed

    Yoo, Moon Sook; Kim, Kyoung Ja

    2017-09-01

    The aim of this study was to explore the influence of nurse work environments and patient safety culture on attitudes toward incident reporting. Patient safety culture had been known as a factor of incident reporting by nurses. Positive work environment could be an important influencing factor for the safety behavior of nurses. A cross-sectional survey design was used. The structured questionnaire was administered to 191 nurses working at a tertiary university hospital in South Korea. Nurses' perception of work environment and patient safety culture were positively correlated with attitudes toward incident reporting. A regression model with clinical career, work area and nurse work environment, and patient safety culture against attitudes toward incident reporting was statistically significant. The model explained approximately 50.7% of attitudes toward incident reporting. Improving nurses' attitudes toward incident reporting can be achieved with a broad approach that includes improvements in work environment and patient safety culture.

  5. Media actors' perceptions of their roles in reporting food incidents.

    PubMed

    Wilson, Annabelle M; Henderson, Julie; Coveney, John; Meyer, Samantha B; Webb, Trevor; Calnan, Michael; Caraher, Martin; Lloyd, Sue; McCullum, Dean; Elliott, Anthony; Ward, Paul R

    2014-12-18

    Previous research has shown that the media can play a role in shaping consumer perceptions during a public health crisis. In order for public health professionals to communicate well-informed health information to the media, it is important that they understand how media view their role in transmitting public health information to consumers and decide what information to present. This paper reports the perceptions of media actors from three countries about their role in reporting information during a food incident. This information is used to present ideas and suggestions for public health professionals working with media during food incidents. Thirty three semi-structured interviews with media actors from Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom were conducted and analysed thematically. Media actors were recruited via purposive sampling using a sampling strategy, from a variety of formats including newspaper, television, radio and online. Media actors said that during a food incident, they play two roles. First, they play a role in communicating information to consumers by acting as a conduit for information between the public and the relevant authorities. Second, they play a role as investigators by acting as a public watchdog. Media actors are an important source of consumer information during food incidents. Public health professionals can work with media by actively approaching them with information about food incidents; promoting to media that as public health professionals, they are best placed to provide the facts about food incidents; and by providing angles for further investigation and directing media to relevant and correct information to inform such investigations. Public health professionals who adapt how they work with media are more likely to influence media to portray messages that fit what they would like the public to know and that are in line with public health recommendations and enable consumers to engage in safe and health promoting

  6. Technology-related medication errors in a tertiary hospital: a 5-year analysis of reported medication incidents.

    PubMed

    Samaranayake, N R; Cheung, S T D; Chui, W C M; Cheung, B M Y

    2012-12-01

    Healthcare technology is meant to reduce medication errors. The objective of this study was to assess unintended errors related to technologies in the medication use process. Medication incidents reported from 2006 to 2010 in a main tertiary care hospital were analysed by a pharmacist and technology-related errors were identified. Technology-related errors were further classified as socio-technical errors and device errors. This analysis was conducted using data from medication incident reports which may represent only a small proportion of medication errors that actually takes place in a hospital. Hence, interpretation of results must be tentative. 1538 medication incidents were reported. 17.1% of all incidents were technology-related, of which only 1.9% were device errors, whereas most were socio-technical errors (98.1%). Of these, 61.2% were linked to computerised prescription order entry, 23.2% to bar-coded patient identification labels, 7.2% to infusion pumps, 6.8% to computer-aided dispensing label generation and 1.5% to other technologies. The immediate causes for technology-related errors included, poor interface between user and computer (68.1%), improper procedures or rule violations (22.1%), poor interface between user and infusion pump (4.9%), technical defects (1.9%) and others (3.0%). In 11.4% of the technology-related incidents, the error was detected after the drug had been administered. A considerable proportion of all incidents were technology-related. Most errors were due to socio-technical issues. Unintended and unanticipated errors may happen when using technologies. Therefore, when using technologies, system improvement, awareness, training and monitoring are needed to minimise medication errors. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. A Profile of Criminal Incidents at School: Results from the 2003-05 National Crime Victimization Survey Crime Incident Report NCES 2010-318

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ruddy, Sally A.; Bauer, Lynn; Neiman, Samantha

    2010-01-01

    This report provides estimates of criminal incidents that occur at school. Incident-level data were obtained from the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS), the nation's primary source of information on criminal victimization and criminal incidents in the United States. The NCVS collects demographic information on respondents in the NCVS…

  8. Local Public Health Systems and the Incidence of Sexually Transmitted Diseases

    PubMed Central

    Chen, Jie; Owusu-Edusei, Kwame; Suh, Allen; Bekemeier, Betty

    2012-01-01

    Objectives. We examined the associations of local public health system organization and local health department resources with county-level sexually transmitted disease (STD) incidence rates in large US health jurisdictions. Methods. We linked annual county STD incidence data (2005–2008) to local health department director responses (n = 211) to the 2006 wave of the National Longitudinal Study of Local Public Health Systems, the 2005 national Local Health Department Profile Survey, and the Area Resource File. We used nested mixed effects regression models to assess the relative contribution of local public health system organization, local health department financial and resource factors, and sociodemographic factors known to be associated with STD incidence to county-level (n = 307) STD incidence. Results. Jurisdictions with local governing boards had significantly lower county-level STD incidence. Local public health systems with comprehensive services where local health departments shoulder much of the effort had higher county-level STD rates than did conventional systems. Conclusions. More integration of system partners in local public health system activities, through governance and interorganizational arrangements, may reduce the incidence and burden of STDs. PMID:22813090

  9. Spatial Distribution of Black Bear Incident Reports in Michigan.

    PubMed

    McFadden-Hiller, Jamie E; Beyer, Dean E; Belant, Jerrold L

    2016-01-01

    Interactions between humans and carnivores have existed for centuries due to competition for food and space. American black bears are increasing in abundance and populations are expanding geographically in many portions of its range, including areas that are also increasing in human density, often resulting in associated increases in human-bear conflict (hereafter, bear incidents). We used public reports of bear incidents in Michigan, USA, from 2003-2011 to assess the relative contributions of ecological and anthropogenic variables in explaining the spatial distribution of bear incidents and estimated the potential risk of bear incidents. We used weighted Normalized Difference Vegetation Index mean as an index of primary productivity, region (i.e., Upper Peninsula or Lower Peninsula), primary and secondary road densities, and percentage land cover type within 6.5-km2 circular buffers around bear incidents and random points. We developed 22 a priori models and used generalized linear models and Akaike's Information Criterion (AIC) to rank models. The global model was the best compromise between model complexity and model fit (w = 0.99), with a ΔAIC 8.99 units from the second best performing model. We found that as deciduous forest cover increased, the probability of bear incident occurrence increased. Among the measured anthropogenic variables, cultivated crops and primary roads were the most important in our AIC-best model and were both positively related to the probability of bear incident occurrence. The spatial distribution of relative bear incident risk varied markedly throughout Michigan. Forest cover fragmented with agriculture and other anthropogenic activities presents an environment that likely facilitates bear incidents. Our map can help wildlife managers identify areas of bear incident occurrence, which in turn can be used to help develop strategies aimed at reducing incidents. Researchers and wildlife managers can use similar mapping techniques to

  10. Spatial Distribution of Black Bear Incident Reports in Michigan

    PubMed Central

    McFadden-Hiller, Jamie E.; Beyer, Dean E.; Belant, Jerrold L.

    2016-01-01

    Interactions between humans and carnivores have existed for centuries due to competition for food and space. American black bears are increasing in abundance and populations are expanding geographically in many portions of its range, including areas that are also increasing in human density, often resulting in associated increases in human-bear conflict (hereafter, bear incidents). We used public reports of bear incidents in Michigan, USA, from 2003–2011 to assess the relative contributions of ecological and anthropogenic variables in explaining the spatial distribution of bear incidents and estimated the potential risk of bear incidents. We used weighted Normalized Difference Vegetation Index mean as an index of primary productivity, region (i.e., Upper Peninsula or Lower Peninsula), primary and secondary road densities, and percentage land cover type within 6.5-km2 circular buffers around bear incidents and random points. We developed 22 a priori models and used generalized linear models and Akaike’s Information Criterion (AIC) to rank models. The global model was the best compromise between model complexity and model fit (w = 0.99), with a ΔAIC 8.99 units from the second best performing model. We found that as deciduous forest cover increased, the probability of bear incident occurrence increased. Among the measured anthropogenic variables, cultivated crops and primary roads were the most important in our AIC-best model and were both positively related to the probability of bear incident occurrence. The spatial distribution of relative bear incident risk varied markedly throughout Michigan. Forest cover fragmented with agriculture and other anthropogenic activities presents an environment that likely facilitates bear incidents. Our map can help wildlife managers identify areas of bear incident occurrence, which in turn can be used to help develop strategies aimed at reducing incidents. Researchers and wildlife managers can use similar mapping techniques to

  11. Poster - 27: Incident Learning Practices in Ontario

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Angers, Crystal; Medlam, Gaylene; Liszewski, Brian

    Purpose: The Radiation Incident and Safety Committee (RISC), established and supported by Cancer Care Ontario (CCO), is responsible for advising the Provincial Head of the Radiation Treatment program on matters relating to provincial reporting of radiation incidents with the goal of improved risk mitigation. Methods: The committee is made up of Radiation Incident Leads (RILs) with representation from each of the 14 radiation medicine programs in the province. RISC routinely meets to review recent critical incidents and to discuss provincial reporting processes and future directions of the committee. Regular face to face meetings have provided an excellent venue for sharingmore » incident learning practices. A summary of the incident learning practices across Ontario has been compiled. Results: Almost all programs in Ontario employ an incident learning committee to review incidents and identify corrective actions or process improvements. Tools used for incident reporting include: paper based reporting, a number of different commercial products and software solutions developed in-house. A wide range of classification schema (data taxonomies) are employed, although most have been influenced by national guidance documents. The majority of clinics perform root cause analyses but utilized methodologies vary significantly. Conclusions: Most programs in Ontario employ a committee approach to incident learning. However, the reporting tools and taxonomies in use vary greatly which represents a significant challenge to provincial reporting. RISC is preparing to adopt the National System for Incident Reporting – Radiation Therapy (NSIR-RT) which will standardize incident reporting and facilitate data analyses aimed at identifying targeted improvement initiatives.« less

  12. The incidence and prevalence of systemic lupus erythematosus in the UK, 1999-2012.

    PubMed

    Rees, Frances; Doherty, Michael; Grainge, Matthew; Davenport, Graham; Lanyon, Peter; Zhang, Weiya

    2016-01-01

    To estimate the incidence and prevalence of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in the UK over the period 1999-2012. A retrospective cohort study using the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD). The incidence was calculated per 100 000 person-years and the prevalence was calculated per 100 000 people for the period 1999-2012 and stratified by year, age group, gender, region and ethnicity. Three definitions of SLE were explored: (1) systemic lupus, (2) a fully comprehensive definition of lupus including cutaneous only lupus and (3) requiring supporting evidence of SLE in the medical record. Using our primary definition of SLE, the incidence during the study period was 4.91/100 000 person-years (95% CI 4.73 to 5.09), with an annual 1.8% decline (p<0.001). In contrast, the prevalence increased from 64.99/100 000 in 1999 (95% CI 62.04 to 67.93) (0.065%) to 97.04/100 000 in 2012 (95% CI 94.18 to 99.90) (0.097%). SLE was six times more common in women. The peak age of incidence was 50-59 years. There was regional variation in both incidence and prevalence. People of Black Caribbean ethnicity had the highest incidence and prevalence. Alternative definitions of SLE increased (definition 2) or decreased (definition 3) estimates of incidence and prevalence, but similar trends were found. The incidence of SLE has been declining but the prevalence has been increasing in the UK in recent years. Age, gender, region and ethnicity are risk factors for SLE. This is the first study to report ethnic differences on the incidence and prevalence of SLE using the CPRD. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

  13. Retinoblastoma incidence and survival in European children (1978-1997). Report from the Automated Childhood Cancer Information System project.

    PubMed

    MacCarthy, A; Draper, G J; Steliarova-Foucher, Eva; Kingston, J E

    2006-09-01

    Based on 2283 cases of retinoblastoma diagnosed in children aged 0-14 years, incidence and survival in Europe during the period 1978-1997 are described. Data were provided to the Automated Childhood Cancer Information System (ACCIS) from 60 paediatric and general cancer registries. During 1988-1997, the cumulative incidence of retinoblastoma in the ACCIS regions was found to be between 44.2 and 67.9 per million births. The highest incidence was seen in the first year of life. The age-standardised (World standard) incidence rate for the age-range 0-14 years was 4.1 per million. Approximately one-third of cases had bilateral tumours. Overall incidence increased over the period 1978-1997 by 1% per year, as derived from a model adjusted for sex, age group and type of registry (general or paediatric). The 5-year survival rate improved from 89% to 95% during the period covered by the study. This improvement was seen in both unilateral and bilateral cases but was significant only for the unilateral tumours. Survival was lower in the East region, although smaller differences were also observed between the other four regions (British Isles, North, South and West). Availability and quality of registration data on retinoblastoma need to be improved for effective evaluation of incidence and survival.

  14. Analysis of the sex ratio of reported gonorrhoea incidence in Shenzhen, China.

    PubMed

    Xiong, Mingzhou; Lan, Lina; Feng, Tiejian; Zhao, Guanglu; Wang, Feng; Hong, Fuchang; Wu, Xiaobing; Zhang, Chunlai; Wen, Lizhang; Liu, Aizhong; Best, John McCulloch; Tang, Weiming

    2016-03-14

    To assess the clinical process of gonorrhoea diagnosis and report in China, and to determine the difference of sex ratio between reported incidence based on reporting data and true diagnosis rate based on reference tests of gonorrhoea. A total of 26 dermatology and sexually transmitted disease (STD) departments, 34 obstetrics-gynaecology clinics and 28 urology outpatient clinics selected from 34 hospitals of Shenzhen regarded as our study sites. A total of 2754 participants were recruited in this study, and 2534 participants completed the questionnaire survey and provided genital tract secretion specimens. There were 1106 male and 1428 female participants. Eligible participants were patients who presented for outpatient STD care at the selected clinics for the first time in October 2012 were at least 18 years old, and were able to give informed consent. Untested rate, true-positive rate, false-negative rate and unreported rate of gonorrhoea, as well as reported gonorrhoea incidence sex ratio and true diagnosis sex ratio were calculated and used to describe the results. 2534 participants were enrolled in the study. The untested rate of gonorrhoea among females was significantly higher than that among males (female 88.1%, male 68.3%, p=0.001). The male-to-female sex ratios of untested rate, true-positive rate, false-negative rate and unreported rate were 1:1.3, 1.2:1, 1:1.6 and 1:1.4, respectively. The reported gonorrhoea incidence sex ratio of new diagnosed gonorrhoea was 19.8:1 (male vs female: 87/1106 vs 5/1420), while the true diagnosis sex ratio was 2.5:1 (male vs female: 161/1106 vs 84/1420). These data indicate that the sex ratio of reported gonorrhoea incidence has been overestimated by a factor of 7.9 (19.8/2.5). We found the current reported gonorrhoea incidence and sex ratios to be inaccurate due to underestimations of gonorrhoea incidence, especially among women. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already

  15. Impact of Study Design on Reported Incidences of Acute Mountain Sickness: A Systematic Review.

    PubMed

    Waeber, Baptiste; Kayser, Bengt; Dumont, Lionel; Lysakowski, Christopher; Tramèr, Martin R; Elia, Nadia

    2015-09-01

    Published incidences of acute mountain sickness (AMS) vary widely. Reasons for this variation, and predictive factors of AMS, are not well understood. We aimed to identify predictive factors that are associated with the occurrence of AMS, and to test the hypothesis that study design is an independent predictive factor of AMS incidence. We did a systematic search (Medline, bibliographies) for relevant articles in English or French, up to April 28, 2013. Studies of any design reporting on AMS incidence in humans without prophylaxis were selected. Data on incidence and potential predictive factors were extracted by two reviewers and crosschecked by four reviewers. Associations between predictive factors and AMS incidence were sought through bivariate and multivariate analyses for different study designs separately. Association between AMS incidence and study design was assessed using multiple linear regression. We extracted data from 53,603 subjects from 34 randomized controlled trials, 44 cohort studies, and 33 cross-sectional studies. In randomized trials, the median of AMS incidences without prophylaxis was 60% (range, 16%-100%); mode of ascent and population were significantly associated with AMS incidence. In cohort studies, the median of AMS incidences was 51% (0%-100%); geographical location was significantly associated with AMS incidence. In cross-sectional studies, the median of AMS incidences was 32% (0%-68%); mode of ascent and maximum altitude were significantly associated with AMS incidence. In a multivariate analysis, study design (p=0.012), mode of ascent (p=0.003), maximum altitude (p<0.001), population (p=0.002), and geographical location (p<0.001) were significantly associated with AMS incidence. Age, sex, speed of ascent, duration of exposure, or history of AMS were inconsistently reported and therefore not further analyzed. Reported incidences and identifiable predictive factors of AMS depend on study design.

  16. A preliminary analysis of incident investigation reports of an integrated steel plant: some reflection.

    PubMed

    Verma, A; Maiti, J; Gaikwad, V N

    2018-06-01

    Large integrated steel plants employ an effective safety management system and gather a significant amount of safety-related data. This research intends to explore and visualize the rich database to find out the key factors responsible for the occurrences of incidents. The study was carried out on the data in the form of investigation reports collected from a steel plant in India. The data were processed and analysed using some of the quality management tools like Pareto chart, control chart, Ishikawa diagram, etc. Analyses showed that causes of incidents differ depending on the activities performed in a department. For example, fire/explosion and process-related incidents are more common in the departments associated with coke-making and blast furnace. Similar kind of factors were obtained, and recommendations were provided for their mitigation. Finally, the limitations of the study were discussed, and the scope of the research works was identified.

  17. Community exposures to chemical incidents: development and evaluation of the first environmental public health surveillance system in Europe

    PubMed Central

    Bowen, H; Palmer, S; Fielder, H; Coleman, G; Routledge, P; Fone, D

    2000-01-01

    OBJECTIVE—To describe the frequency, nature and location of acute chemical incidents in Wales, and the morbidity in employees, emergency responders and the general public who were exposed.
DESIGN—Active multi-agency community-based surveillance system.
SETTING—Wales, 1993-5.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES—Frequency, nature and location of incidents, populations potentially exposed and with symptoms.
RESULTS—Most of the 402 incidents identified were not associated with sites governed by the Control of Industrial Major Accident Hazard Regulations but with smaller industrial sites and commercial premises. About two in every thousand of the estimated 236 000 members of the public considered to be at risk from exposure reported symptoms, which were mainly nausea, headaches, and irritation of the eye, skin and respiratory tract. The most commonly reported chemicals that members of the public were exposed to were smoke toxins, miscellaneous organics, toxic gases and flammable gases. A health authority was reported to be involved in only 34 (8%) of the incidents and in only 3 of the 29 incidents where more than 100 members of the public were exposed.
CONCLUSION—A geographically defined, multi-agency surveillance system can identify high risk locations and types of incidents, together with the chemicals most likely to be involved. Such ongoing surveillance information is essential for appropriate policy making, emergency planning, operational management and training.


Keywords: surveillance; pollution; chemical PMID:11027203

  18. Symptom-based categorization of in-flight passenger medical incidents.

    PubMed

    Mahony, Paul H; Myers, Julia A; Larsen, Peter D; Powell, David M C; Griffiths, Robin F

    2011-12-01

    The majority of in-flight passenger medical events are managed by cabin crew. Our study aimed to evaluate the reliability of cabin crew reports of in-flight medical events and to develop a symptom-based categorization system. All cabin crew in-flight passenger medical incident reports for an airline over a 9-yr period were examined retrospectively. Validation of incident descriptions were undertaken on a sample of 162 cabin crew reports where medically trained persons' reports were available for comparison using a three Round Delphi technique and testing concordance using Cohen's Kappa. A hierarchical symptom-based categorization system was designed and validated. The rate was 159 incidents per 106 passengers carried, or 70.4/113.3 incidents per 106 revenue passenger kilometres/miles, respectively. Concordance between cabin crew and medical reports was 96%, with a high validity rating (mean 4.6 on a 1-5 scale) and high Cohen's Kappa (0.94). The most common in-flight medical events were transient loss of consciousness (41%), nausea/vomiting/diarrhea (19.5%), and breathing difficulty (16%). Cabin crew records provide reliable data regarding in-flight passenger medical incidents, complementary to diagnosis-based systems, and allow the use of currently underutilized data. The categorization system provides a means for tracking passenger medical incidents internationally and an evidence base for cabin crew first aid training.

  19. Real-time incident detection using social media data.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2016-05-09

    The effectiveness of traditional incident detection is often limited by sparse sensor coverage, and reporting incidents to emergency response systems : is labor-intensive. This research project mines tweet texts to extract incident information on bot...

  20. Pharmaceutical sales of pseudoephedrine: the impact of electronic tracking systems on methamphetamine crime incidents.

    PubMed

    Mazerolle, Lorraine; McGuffog, Ingrid; Ferris, Jason; Chamlin, Mitchell B

    2017-03-01

    Electronic tracking systems (ETS) are used extensively in pharmacies across the United States and Australia to control suspicious sales of pseudoephedrine. This study measures the impact of one ETS-Project STOP-on the capacity of police to reduce production, supply and possession of methamphetamine. Using official police data of incidents of production, supply and possession from January 1996 to December 2011 (n = 192 data points/months over 16 years), we used a quasi-experimental, time-series approach. The State of Queensland, Australia. No individual participants are included in the study. The unit of analysis is reported police incidents. The study examines the impact of the ETS on production (n = 5938 incidents), drug supply and trafficking (n = 20 094 incidents) and drug possession or use (n = 118 926) of methamphetamine. Introduction of the ETS in November 2005 was associated with an insignificant decrease (P = 0.15) in the production of methamphetamine. The intervention was associated with a statistically significant increase in supply incidents (P = 0.0001). There was no statistically significant effect on the incidence of possession (P = 0.59). Electronic tracking systems can reduce the capacity of people to produce methamphetamine domestically, but seem unlikely to affect other aspects of the methamphetamine problem such as possession, distribution and importation. © 2016 Society for the Study of Addiction.

  1. 29 CFR 1904.39 - Reporting fatalities and multiple hospitalization incidents to OSHA.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... machine, faxing the area office, or sending an e-mail? No, if you can't talk to a person at the Area... incident. (7) What if I don't learn about an incident right away? If you do not learn of a reportable...

  2. 29 CFR 1904.39 - Reporting fatalities and multiple hospitalization incidents to OSHA.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... machine, faxing the area office, or sending an e-mail? No, if you can't talk to a person at the Area... incident. (7) What if I don't learn about an incident right away? If you do not learn of a reportable...

  3. 29 CFR 1904.39 - Reporting fatalities and multiple hospitalization incidents to OSHA.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... machine, faxing the area office, or sending an e-mail? No, if you can't talk to a person at the Area... incident. (7) What if I don't learn about an incident right away? If you do not learn of a reportable...

  4. 29 CFR 1904.39 - Reporting fatalities and multiple hospitalization incidents to OSHA.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... machine, faxing the area office, or sending an e-mail? No, if you can't talk to a person at the Area... incident. (7) What if I don't learn about an incident right away? If you do not learn of a reportable...

  5. 29 CFR 1904.39 - Reporting fatalities and multiple hospitalization incidents to OSHA.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... machine, faxing the area office, or sending an e-mail? No, if you can't talk to a person at the Area... incident. (7) What if I don't learn about an incident right away? If you do not learn of a reportable...

  6. 46 CFR 148.02-5 - Report of hazardous materials incidents.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 46 Shipping 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Report of hazardous materials incidents. 148.02-5 Section 148.02-5 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) DANGEROUS CARGOES CARRIAGE OF SOLID HAZARDOUS MATERIALS IN BULK Vessel Requirements § 148.02-5 Report of hazardous materials...

  7. Reported fatal and non-fatal incidents involving tourists in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, 1992-2002.

    PubMed

    Heggie, Travis W

    2005-08-01

    Objectives. To examine fatal and non-fatal incidents involving tourists in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Methods. Official press releases from the public relations office at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park were examined for reports of fatal and non-fatal incidents involving tourists. Results. Between 1992 and 2002 there were 65 press releases reporting 40 fatalities, 45 serious injuries, 53 minor injuries, and 25 no injury events. Severity information was unavailable for four additional tourists. Aircraft and backcountry incidents each accounted for 30% of all incidents followed by road incidents (22%) and frontcountry incidents (17%). Aircraft incidents reported 17 fatalities, backcountry incidents accounted for 10 fatalities, frontcountry incidents reported seven fatalities, and road incidents totaled six fatalities. One fatality was classified as a suicide. Backcountry (23) and road (10) incidents had the highest number of serious incidents. Male tourists (62) were more frequently involved in incidents than female tourists (41) and tourists aged 20-29 years and 40-49 years accounted for the highest number of fatalities and total incidents. Conclusions. Helicopter tours, hiking in areas with active lava flows, falls into steam vents and earthcracks, and driving unfamiliar rental cars in unfamiliar locations are the major activities resulting in death and serious injury. Additional factors such as tourists ignoring warning signs, wandering off-trail or hiking at night, tourists misinformed by guidebooks and other tourists, and tourists with pre-existing heart and asthma conditions are contributing causes in many incidents. The findings of this study provide information that allows prospective tourists, tourism managers, and travel health providers make informed decisions that promote safe tourism and can aid future efforts in developing preventative strategies at tourist destinations with similar environments and activities. However, in order for preventative

  8. Enhancing Police Responses to Domestic Violence Incidents: Reports From Client Advocates in New South Wales.

    PubMed

    Goodman-Delahunty, Jane; Crehan, Anna Corbo

    2016-07-01

    In an online survey about experiences with the police complaint system, 239 client advocates described a recent incident in which a client with grounds to lodge a complaint declined to do so. Almost one third of those incidents involved domestic violence. Thematic analysis of case descriptions revealed that many police did not take domestic violence reports seriously. A typology of problematic police conduct was developed. Many officers failed to observe current procedures and appeared to lack knowledge of relevant laws. Citizens feared retaliatory victimization by police and/or perceived that complaining was futile. Implications of these findings are reviewed in light of procedural justice theory. © The Author(s) 2015.

  9. Perioperative anaesthetic adverse events in Thailand (PAAd THAI) study: Incident report of perioperative convulsion.

    PubMed

    Eiamcharoenwit, Jatuporn; Akavipat, Phuping; Ariyanuchitkul, Thidarat; Wirachpisit, Nichawan; Pulnitiporn, Aksorn; Pongraweewan, Orawan

    2018-01-01

    The aim of this study was to identify the characteristics of perioperative convulsion and to suggest possible correcting strategies. The multi-centre study was conducted prospectively in 22 hospitals across Thailand in 2015. The occurrences of perioperative adverse events were collected. The data was collated by site manager and forwarded to the data management unit. All perioperative convulsion incidences were enrolled and analysed. The consensus was documented for the relevant factors and the corrective strategies. Descriptive statistics were used. From 2,000 incident reports, perioperative convulsions were found in 16 patients. Six episodes (37.5%) were related to anaesthesia, 31.3% to patients, 18.8% to surgery, and 12.5% to systemic processes. The contributing factor was an inexperienced anaesthesia performer (25%), while the corrective strategy was improvements to supervision (43.8%). Incidents of perioperative convulsion were found to be higher than during the last decade. The initiation and maintenance of safe anaesthesia should be continued.

  10. What have we learned from reporting safety incidents in the Surgical Block?: Cross-sectional descriptive study of two-years of activity of a multidisciplinary analytical group.

    PubMed

    Caba Barrientos, F; Rodríguez Morillo, A; Galisteo Domínguez, R; Del Nozal Nalda, M; Almeida González, C V; Echevarría Moreno, M

    2018-05-01

    Incident Reporting Systems (IRS) are considered a tool that facilitates learning and safety culture. Using the experience gained with SENSAR, we evaluated the feasibility and the activity of a multidisciplinary group analyzing incidents in the surgical patient notified to a general community system, that of the Observatory for Patient Safety (OPS). Cross-sectional observational study planned for two years. After training in the analysis, a multidisciplinary group was created in terms of specialties and professional categories, which would analyze the incidents in the surgical patient notified to the OPS. Incidents are classified and their circumstances analyzed. Between March 2015 and 2017, 95 incidents were reported (4 by non-professionals). Doctors reported more than nurses, at 54 (56.84%) vs. 37 (38.94%). The anaesthesia unit reported most at 46 (48.42%) (P=.025). The types of incidents mainly related to the care procedure (30.52%); to the preoperative period (42.10%); and to the place, the surgical area (48.42%). Significant differences were detected according to the origin of the notifier (P=.03). No harm, or minor morbidity, constituted 88% of the incidents. Errors were identified in 79%. The analysis of the incidents directed the measures to be taken. The activity undertaken by the multidisciplinary analytical group during the period of study facilitated knowledge of the system among the professionals and enabled the identification of areas for improvement in the Surgical Block at different levels. Copyright © 2017 Sociedad Española de Anestesiología, Reanimación y Terapéutica del Dolor. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  11. Postoperative central nervous system infection: incidence and associated factors in 2111 neurosurgical procedures.

    PubMed

    McClelland, Shearwood; Hall, Walter A

    2007-07-01

    Postoperative central nervous system infection (PCNSI) in patients undergoing neurosurgical procedures represents a serious problem that requires immediate attention. PCNSI most commonly manifests as meningitis, subdural empyema, and/or brain abscess. Recent studies (which have included a minimum of 1000 operations) have reported that the incidence of PCNSI after neurosurgical procedures is 5%-7%, and many physicians believe that the true incidence is even higher. To address this issue, we examined the incidence of PCNSI in a sizeable patient population. The medical records and postoperative courses for patients involved in 2111 neurosurgical procedures at our institution during 1991-2005 were reviewed retrospectively to determine the incidence of PCNSI, the identity of offending organisms, and the factors associated with infection. The median age of patients at the time of surgery was 45 years. Of the 1587 cranial operations, 14 (0.8%) were complicated by PCNSI, whereas none of the 32 peripheral nerve operations resulted in PCNSI. The remaining 492 operative cases involved spinal surgery, of which 2 (0.4%) were complicated by PCNSI. The overall incidence of PCNSI was 0.8% (occurring after 16 of 2111 operations); the incidence of bacterial meningitis was 0.3% (occurring after 4 of 1587 operations), and the incidence of brain abscess was 0.2% (occurring after 3 of 1587 operations). The most common offending organism was Staphylococcus aureus (8 cases; 50% of infections), followed by Propionibacterium acnes (4 cases; 25% of infections). Cerebrospinal fluid leakage, diabetes mellitus, and male sex were not associated with PCNSI (P>.05). In one of the largest neurosurgical studies to have investigated PCNSI, the incidence of infection after neurosurgical procedures was <1%--more than 6 times lower than that reported in recent series of comparable numerical size. Cerebrospinal fluid leak, diabetes mellitus, and male sex were not associated with an increased incidence of

  12. A Bayesian approach for estimating under-reported dengue incidence with a focus on non-linear associations between climate and dengue in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

    PubMed

    Sharmin, Sifat; Glass, Kathryn; Viennet, Elvina; Harley, David

    2018-04-01

    Determining the relation between climate and dengue incidence is challenging due to under-reporting of disease and consequent biased incidence estimates. Non-linear associations between climate and incidence compound this. Here, we introduce a modelling framework to estimate dengue incidence from passive surveillance data while incorporating non-linear climate effects. We estimated the true number of cases per month using a Bayesian generalised linear model, developed in stages to adjust for under-reporting. A semi-parametric thin-plate spline approach was used to quantify non-linear climate effects. The approach was applied to data collected from the national dengue surveillance system of Bangladesh. The model estimated that only 2.8% (95% credible interval 2.7-2.8) of all cases in the capital Dhaka were reported through passive case reporting. The optimal mean monthly temperature for dengue transmission is 29℃ and average monthly rainfall above 15 mm decreases transmission. Our approach provides an estimate of true incidence and an understanding of the effects of temperature and rainfall on dengue transmission in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

  13. Design and implementation of a near-miss reporting system at a large, academic pediatric anesthesia department.

    PubMed

    Guffey, Patrick; Szolnoki, Judit; Caldwell, James; Polaner, David

    2011-07-01

    Current incident reporting systems encourage retrospective reporting of morbidity and mortality and have low participation rates. A near miss is an event that did not cause patient harm, but had the potential to. By tracking and analyzing near misses, systems improvements can be targeted appropriately, and future errors may be prevented. An electronic, web based, secure, anonymous reporting system for anesthesiologists was designed and instituted at The Children's Hospital, Denver. This portal was compared to an existing hospital incident reporting system. A total of 150 incidents were reported in the first 3 months of operation, compared to four entered in the same time period 1 year ago. An anesthesia-specific anonymous near-miss reporting system, which eases and facilitates data entry and can prospectively identify processes and practices that place patients at risk, was implemented at a large, academic, freestanding children's hospital. This resulted in a dramatic increase in reported events and provided data to target and drive quality and process improvement. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  14. 30 CFR 285.831 - What incidents must I report, and when must I report them?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 30 Mineral Resources 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false What incidents must I report, and when must I report them? 285.831 Section 285.831 Mineral Resources MINERALS MANAGEMENT SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR OFFSHORE RENEWABLE ENERGY ALTERNATE USES OF EXISTING FACILITIES ON THE OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF Environmental and Safety Management,...

  15. The Use of Categorized Time-Trend Reporting of Radiation Oncology Incidents: A Proactive Analytical Approach to Improving Quality and Safety Over Time

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Arnold, Anthony, E-mail: anthony.arnold@sesiahs.health.nsw.gov.a; Delaney, Geoff P.; Cassapi, Lynette

    Purpose: Radiotherapy is a common treatment for cancer patients. Although incidence of error is low, errors can be severe or affect significant numbers of patients. In addition, errors will often not manifest until long periods after treatment. This study describes the development of an incident reporting tool that allows categorical analysis and time trend reporting, covering first 3 years of use. Methods and Materials: A radiotherapy-specific incident analysis system was established. Staff members were encouraged to report actual errors and near-miss events detected at prescription, simulation, planning, or treatment phases of radiotherapy delivery. Trend reporting was reviewed monthly. Results: Reportsmore » were analyzed for the first 3 years of operation (May 2004-2007). A total of 688 reports was received during the study period. The actual error rate was 0.2% per treatment episode. During the study period, the actual error rates reduced significantly from 1% per year to 0.3% per year (p < 0.001), as did the total event report rates (p < 0.0001). There were 3.5 times as many near misses reported compared with actual errors. Conclusions: This system has allowed real-time analysis of events within a radiation oncology department to a reduced error rate through focus on learning and prevention from the near-miss reports. Plans are underway to develop this reporting tool for Australia and New Zealand.« less

  16. Nationwide incidence of motor neuron disease using the French health insurance information system database.

    PubMed

    Kab, Sofiane; Moisan, Frédéric; Preux, Pierre-Marie; Marin, Benoît; Elbaz, Alexis

    2017-08-01

    There are no estimates of the nationwide incidence of motor neuron disease (MND) in France. We used the French health insurance information system to identify incident MND cases (2012-2014), and compared incidence figures to those from three external sources. We identified incident MND cases (2012-2014) based on three data sources (riluzole claims, hospitalisation records, long-term chronic disease benefits), and computed MND incidence by age, gender, and geographic region. We used French mortality statistics, Limousin ALS registry data, and previous European studies based on administrative databases to perform external comparisons. We identified 6553 MND incident cases. After standardisation to the United States 2010 population, the age/gender-standardised incidence was 2.72/100,000 person-years (males, 3.37; females, 2.17; male:female ratio = 1.53, 95% CI1.46-1.61). There was no major spatial difference in MND distribution. Our data were in agreement with the French death database (standardised mortality ratio = 1.01, 95% CI = 0.96-1.06) and Limousin ALS registry (standardised incidence ratio = 0.92, 95% CI = 0.72-1.15). Incidence estimates were in the same range as those from previous studies. We report French nationwide incidence estimates of MND. Administrative databases including hospital discharge data and riluzole claims offer an interesting approach to identify large population-based samples of patients with MND for epidemiologic studies and surveillance.

  17. 75 FR 75911 - Adjustment of Monetary Threshold for Reporting Rail Equipment Accidents/Incidents for Calendar...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-12-07

    ...This rule increases the rail equipment accident/incident reporting threshold from $9,200 to $9,400 for certain railroad accidents/incidents involving property damage that occur during calendar year 2011. This action is needed to ensure that FRA's reporting requirements reflect cost increases that have occurred since the reporting threshold was last computed in December of 2009.

  18. 76 FR 72850 - Adjustment of Monetary Threshold for Reporting Rail Equipment Accidents/Incidents for Calendar...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-11-28

    ...This rule increases the rail equipment accident/incident reporting threshold from $9,400 to $9,500 for certain railroad accidents/incidents involving property damage that occur during calendar year 2012. This action is needed to ensure that FRA's reporting requirements reflect cost increases that have occurred since the reporting threshold was last published in December of 2010.

  19. 77 FR 71354 - Adjustment of Monetary Threshold for Reporting Rail Equipment Accidents/Incidents for Calendar...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-11-30

    ...This rule increases the rail equipment accident/incident reporting threshold from $9,500 to $9,900 for certain railroad accidents/incidents involving property damage that occur during calendar year 2013. This action is needed to ensure that FRA's reporting requirements reflect cost increases that have occurred since the reporting threshold was last published in November of 2011.

  20. 30 CFR 285.831 - What incidents must I report, and when must I report them?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 30 Mineral Resources 2 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false What incidents must I report, and when must I report them? 285.831 Section 285.831 Mineral Resources BUREAU OF OCEAN ENERGY MANAGEMENT, REGULATION, AND ENFORCEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR OFFSHORE RENEWABLE ENERGY ALTERNATE USES OF EXISTING FACILITIES ON THE OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF...

  1. Recording pressure ulcer risk assessment and incidence.

    PubMed

    Plaskitt, Anne; Heywood, Nicola; Arrowsmith, Michaela

    2015-07-15

    This article reports on the introduction of an innovative computer-based system developed to record and report pressure ulcer risk and incidence at an acute NHS trust. The system was introduced to ensure that all patients have an early pressure ulcer risk assessment, which prompts staff to initiate appropriate management if a pressure ulcer is detected, thereby preventing further patient harm. Initial findings suggest that this electronic process has helped to improve the timeliness and accuracy of data on pressure ulcer risk and incidence. In addition, it has resulted in a reduced number of reported hospital-acquired pressure ulcers.

  2. 30 CFR 585.831 - What incidents must I report, and when must I report them?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 30 Mineral Resources 2 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false What incidents must I report, and when must I report them? 585.831 Section 585.831 Mineral Resources BUREAU OF OCEAN ENERGY MANAGEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR OFFSHORE RENEWABLE ENERGY AND ALTERNATE USES OF EXISTING FACILITIES ON THE OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF Environmental and Safety Managemen...

  3. 30 CFR 585.831 - What incidents must I report, and when must I report them?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 30 Mineral Resources 2 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false What incidents must I report, and when must I report them? 585.831 Section 585.831 Mineral Resources BUREAU OF OCEAN ENERGY MANAGEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR OFFSHORE RENEWABLE ENERGY AND ALTERNATE USES OF EXISTING FACILITIES ON THE OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF Environmental and Safety Managemen...

  4. 30 CFR 585.831 - What incidents must I report, and when must I report them?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 30 Mineral Resources 2 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false What incidents must I report, and when must I report them? 585.831 Section 585.831 Mineral Resources BUREAU OF OCEAN ENERGY MANAGEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR OFFSHORE RENEWABLE ENERGY AND ALTERNATE USES OF EXISTING FACILITIES ON THE OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF Environmental and Safety Managemen...

  5. Incidence and prevalence of systemic sclerosis in Campo Grande, State of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil.

    PubMed

    Horimoto, Alex Magno Coelho; Matos, Erica Naomi Naka; Costa, Márcio Reis da; Takahashi, Fernanda; Rezende, Marcelo Cruz; Kanomata, Letícia Barrios; Locatelli, Elisangela Possebon Pradebon; Finotti, Leandro Tavares; Maegawa, Flávia Kamy Maciel; Rondon, Rosa Maria Ribeiro; Machado, Natália Pereira; Couto, Flávia Midori Arakaki Ayres Tavares do; Figueiredo, Túlia Peixoto Alves de; Ovidio, Raphael Antonio; Costa, Izaias Pereira da

    Systemic sclerosis is an autoimmune disease which shows extreme heterogeneity in its clinical presentation and that follows a variable and unpredictable course. Although some discrepancies in the incidence and prevalence rates between geographical regions may reflect methodological differences in the definition and verification of cases, they may also reflect true local differences. To determine the prevalence and incidence of systemic sclerosis in the city of Campo Grande, state capital of Mato Grosso do Sul (MS), Brazil, during the period from January to December 2014. All health care services of the city of Campo Grande - MS with attending in the specialty of Rheumatology were invited to participate in the study through a standardized form of clinical and socio-demographic assessment. Physicians of any specialty could report a suspected case of systemic sclerosis, but necessarily the definitive diagnosis should be established by a rheumatologist, in order to warrant the standardization of diagnostic criteria and exclusion of other diseases resembling systemic sclerosis. At the end of the study, 15 rheumatologists reported that they attended patients with systemic sclerosis and sent the completed forms containing epidemiological data of patients. The incidence rate of systemic sclerosis in Campo Grande for the year 2014 was 11.9 per million inhabitants and the prevalence rate was 105.6 per million inhabitants. Systemic sclerosis patients were mostly women, white, with a mean age of 50.58 years, showing the limited form of the disease with a mean duration of the disease of 8.19 years. Regarding laboratory tests, 94.4% were positive for antinuclear antibody, 41.6% for anti-centromere antibody and 19.1% for anti-Scl70; anti-RNA Polymerase III was performed in 37 patients, with 16.2% positive. The city of Campo Grande, the state capital of MS, presented a lower incidence/prevalence of systemic sclerosis in comparison with those numbers found in US studies and close

  6. Medication incident reporting in residential aged care facilities: Limitations and risks to residents’ safety

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background Medication incident reporting (MIR) is a key safety critical care process in residential aged care facilities (RACFs). Retrospective studies of medication incident reports in aged care have identified the inability of existing MIR processes to generate information that can be used to enhance residents’ safety. However, there is little existing research that investigates the limitations of the existing information exchange process that underpins MIR, despite the considerable resources that RACFs’ devote to the MIR process. The aim of this study was to undertake an in-depth exploration of the information exchange process involved in MIR and identify factors that inhibit the collection of meaningful information in RACFs. Methods The study was undertaken in three RACFs (part of a large non-profit organisation) in NSW, Australia. A total of 23 semi-structured interviews and 62 hours of observation sessions were conducted between May to July 2011. The qualitative data was iteratively analysed using a grounded theory approach. Results The findings highlight significant gaps in the design of the MIR artefacts as well as information exchange issues in MIR process execution. Study results emphasized the need to: a) design MIR artefacts that facilitate identification of the root causes of medication incidents, b) integrate the MIR process within existing information systems to overcome key gaps in information exchange execution, and c) support exchange of information that can facilitate a multi-disciplinary approach to medication incident management in RACFs. Conclusions This study highlights the advantages of viewing MIR process holistically rather than as segregated tasks, as a means to identify gaps in information exchange that need to be addressed in practice to improve safety critical processes. PMID:23122411

  7. Educators' Reports on Incidence of Harassment and Advocacy toward LGBTQ Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dragowski, Eliza A.; McCabe, Paul C.; Rubinson, Florence

    2016-01-01

    This study is based on a national survey investigation of 968 educators, who reported the incidence of LGBTQ harassment in schools, and their advocacy efforts on behalf of this population. LGBTQ-related knowledge, attitudes, norms, and perceived ability to advocate were also assessed. Ninety percent of educators reported observing LGBTQ harassment…

  8. Characteristics of health IT outage and suggested risk management strategies: an analysis of historical incident reports in China.

    PubMed

    Lei, Jianbo; Guan, Pengcheng; Gao, Kaihua; Lu, Xueqin; Chen, Yunan; Li, Yuefeng; Meng, Qun; Zhang, Jiajie; Sittig, Dean F; Zheng, Kai

    2014-02-01

    The healthcare industry has become increasingly dependent on using information technology (IT) to manage its daily operations. Unexpected downtime of health IT systems could therefore wreak havoc and result in catastrophic consequences. Little is known, however, regarding the nature of failures of health IT. To analyze historical health IT outage incidents as a means to better understand health IT vulnerabilities and inform more effective prevention and emergency response strategies. We studied news articles and incident reports publicly available on the internet describing health IT outage events that occurred in China. The data were qualitatively analyzed using a deductive grounded theory approach based on a synthesized IT risk model developed in the domain of information systems. A total of 116 distinct health IT incidents were identified. A majority of them (69.8%) occurred in the morning; over 50% caused disruptions to the patient registration and payment collection functions of the affected healthcare facilities. The outpatient practices in tertiary hospitals seem to be particularly vulnerable to IT failures. Software defects and overcapacity issues, followed by malfunctioning hardware, were among the principal causes. Unexpected health IT downtime occurs more and more often with the widespread adoption of electronic systems in healthcare. Risk identification and risk assessments are essential steps to developing preventive measures. Equally important is institutionalization of contingency plans as our data show that not all failures of health IT can be predicted and thus effectively prevented. The results of this study also suggest significant future work is needed to systematize the reporting of health IT outage incidents in order to promote transparency and accountability. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Measurable improvement in patient safety culture: A departmental experience with incident learning.

    PubMed

    Kusano, Aaron S; Nyflot, Matthew J; Zeng, Jing; Sponseller, Patricia A; Ermoian, Ralph; Jordan, Loucille; Carlson, Joshua; Novak, Avrey; Kane, Gabrielle; Ford, Eric C

    2015-01-01

    Rigorous use of departmental incident learning is integral to improving patient safety and quality of care. The goal of this study was to quantify the impact of a high-volume, departmental incident learning system on patient safety culture. A prospective, voluntary, electronic incident learning system was implemented in February 2012 with the intent of tracking near-miss/no-harm incidents. All incident reports were reviewed weekly by a multiprofessional team with regular department-wide feedback. Patient safety culture was measured at baseline with validated patient safety culture survey questions. A repeat survey was conducted after 1 and 2 years of departmental incident learning. Proportional changes were compared by χ(2) or Fisher exact test, where appropriate. Between 2012 and 2014, a total of 1897 error/near-miss incidents were reported, representing an average of 1 near-miss report per patient treated. Reports were filed by a cross section of staff, with the majority of incidents reported by therapists, dosimetrists, and physicists. Survey response rates at baseline and 1 and 2 years were 78%, 80%, and 80%, respectively. Statistically significant and sustained improvements were noted in several safety metrics, including belief that the department was openly discussing ways to improve safety, the sense that reports were being used for safety improvement, and the sense that changes were being evaluated for effectiveness. None of the surveyed dimensions of patient safety culture worsened. Fewer punitive concerns were noted, with statistically significant decreases in the worry of embarrassment in front of colleagues and fear of getting colleagues in trouble. A comprehensive incident learning system can identify many areas for improvement and is associated with significant and sustained improvements in patient safety culture. These data provide valuable guidance as incident learning systems become more widely used in radiation oncology. Copyright © 2015

  10. What Happened, and Why: Toward an Understanding of Human Error Based on Automated Analyses of Incident Reports. Volume 2

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ferryman, Thomas A.; Posse, Christian; Rosenthal, Loren J.; Srivastava, Ashok N.; Statler, Irving C.

    2006-01-01

    The objective of the Aviation System Monitoring and Modeling project of NASA's Aviation Safety and Security Program was to develop technologies to enable proactive management of safety risk, which entails identifying the precursor events and conditions that foreshadow most accidents. Information about what happened can be extracted from quantitative data sources, but the experiential account of the incident reporter is the best available source of information about why an incident happened. In Volume I, the concept of the Scenario was introduced as a pragmatic guide for identifying similarities of what happened based on the objective parameters that define the Context and the Outcome of a Scenario. In this Volume II, that study continues into the analyses of the free narratives to gain understanding as to why the incident occurred from the reporter s perspective. While this is just the first experiment, the results of our approach are encouraging and indicate that it will be possible to design an automated analysis process guided by the structure of the Scenario that can achieve the level of consistency and reliability of human analysis of narrative reports.

  11. Age-Specific Incidence Rates for Self-Reported Uterine Leiomyomata in the Black Women’s Health Study

    PubMed Central

    Wise, Lauren A.; Palmer, Julie R.; Stewart, Elizabeth A.; Rosenberg, Lynn

    2007-01-01

    OBJECTIVE Uterine leiomyomata represent a major public health problem for black women in the United States, but limited data are available on age–incidence curves in this high-risk population. We estimated overall and age-specific incidence rates for self-reported uterine leiomyomata in a large cohort of African-American women in the United States. METHODS Data were derived from the Black Women’s Health Study, an ongoing prospective cohort study of 59,000 black women from across the United States who were aged 21–69 years at baseline (ie, 1995). From March 1997 through March 2001, we followed up 22,895 premenopausal women with no prior diagnosis of uterine leiomyoma. Poisson regression was used to estimate overall and age-specific incidence rates and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for self-reported uterine leiomyoma. In a subset of 248 patients who were selected randomly from the total case group, the self-reported diagnosis was verified in 96% of cases who released their medical records. RESULTS During 76,711 woman-years of follow-up, 2,637 incident cases of uterine leiomyomata reported as confirmed by pelvic examination (n = 358), ultrasonography (n = 2,006), or hysterectomy (n = 273) were observed. Incidence rates per 1,000 woman-years were 34.4 (95% CI 33.1–35.7) for all cases combined, 29.7 (95% CI 28.5–30.9) for cases confirmed by ultrasonography or hysterectomy, and 3.6 (95% CI 3.2–4.0) for cases confirmed by hysterectomy. The incidence rate peaked at ages 40–44 years for all cases combined (incidence rate 45.6, 95% CI 42.0–49.5) and for cases confirmed by ultrasonography or hysterectomy (incidence rate 39.8, 95% CI 36.5–43.4), and peaked at ages 45–49 years for cases confirmed by hysterectomy (incidence rate 8.3, 95% CI 6.4–10.7). CONCLUSION Overall incidence rates for self-reported uterine leiomyomata were consistent with other U.S studies in black women and confirmed a high burden of disease in this population. Age-specific incidence

  12. Wavefront Sensing Analysis of Grazing Incidence Optical Systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Rohrbach, Scott; Saha, Timo

    2012-01-01

    Wavefront sensing is a process by which optical system errors are deduced from the aberrations in the image of an ideal source. The method has been used successfully in near-normal incidence, but not for grazing incidence systems. This innovation highlights the ability to examine out-of-focus images from grazing incidence telescopes (typically operating in the x-ray wavelengths, but integrated using optical wavelengths) and determine the lower-order deformations. This is important because as a metrology tool, this method would allow the integration of high angular resolution optics without the use of normal incidence interferometry, which requires direct access to the front surface of each mirror. Measuring the surface figure of mirror segments in a highly nested x-ray telescope mirror assembly is difficult due to the tight packing of elements and blockage of all but the innermost elements to normal incidence light. While this can be done on an individual basis in a metrology mount, once the element is installed and permanently bonded into the assembly, it is impossible to verify the figure of each element and ensure that the necessary imaging quality will be maintained. By examining on-axis images of an ideal point source, one can gauge the low-order figure errors of individual elements, even when integrated into an assembly. This technique is known as wavefront sensing (WFS). By shining collimated light down the optical axis of the telescope and looking at out-of-focus images, the blur due to low-order figure errors of individual elements can be seen, and the figure error necessary to produce that blur can be calculated. The method avoids the problem of requiring normal incidence access to the surface of each mirror segment. Mirror figure errors span a wide range of spatial frequencies, from the lowest-order bending to the highest order micro-roughness. While all of these can be measured in normal incidence, only the lowest-order contributors can be determined

  13. The incidence of medically reported work-related ill health in the UK construction industry.

    PubMed

    Stocks, S J; McNamee, R; Carder, M; Agius, R M

    2010-08-01

    Self-reported work-related ill health (SWI) data show a high incidence of occupational ill health and a high burden of cancer attributable to occupational factors in the UK construction industry. However, there is little information on the incidence of medically reported work-related ill health (WRI) within this industry. This study aims to examine the incidence of WRI within the UK construction industry. Standardised incidence rate ratios (SRRs) were used to compare incidence rates of reports of medically certified work-related ill health returned to The Health and Occupation Reporting network (THOR) within the UK construction industry with all other UK industries combined. Male UK construction industry workers aged under 65 years had significantly raised SRRs for respiratory (3.8, 95% CI 3.5 to 4.2), skin (1.6, 1.4 to 1.8) and musculoskeletal disorders (MSD; 1.9, 1.6 to 2.2). These SRRs were further raised for those working within a construction trade. The increased SRRs for skin disease within male construction industry workers were due to contact dermatitis (1.4, 1.2 to 1.6) and neoplasia (4.2, 3.3 to 5.3). For respiratory disease, the increased SRRs were due to non-malignant pleural disease (7.1, 6.3 to 8.1), mesothelioma (7.1, 6.0 to 8.3), lung cancer (5.4, 3.2 to 8.9) and pneumoconiosis (5.5, 3.7 to 8.0), but the SRRs for asthma (0.09, 0.06 to 0.11) and mental ill health (0.3, 0.1 to 0.4) were significantly reduced. The significantly raised SRRs for medically reported MSD and significantly reduced SRRs for mental ill health in construction workers confirm self-reported UK data. These SRRs provide a baseline of the incidence of WRI in the UK construction industry from which to monitor the effects of changes in policy or exposures.

  14. Classifying health information technology patient safety related incidents - an approach used in Wales.

    PubMed

    Warm, D; Edwards, P

    2012-01-01

    Interest in the field of patient safety incident reporting and analysis with respect to Health Information Technology (HIT) has been growing over recent years as the development, implementation and reliance on HIT systems becomes ever more prevalent. One of the rationales for capturing patient safety incidents is to learn from failures in the delivery of care and must form part of a feedback loop which also includes analysis; investigation and monitoring. With the advent of new technologies and organizational programs of delivery the emphasis is increasingly upon analyzing HIT incidents. This thematic review had two objectives, to test the applicability of a framework specifically designed to categorize HIT incidents and to review the Welsh incidents as communicated via the national incident reporting system in order to understand their implications for healthcare. The incidents were those reported as IT/ telecommunications failure/ overload. Incidents were searched for within a national reporting system using a standardized search strategy for incidents occurring between 1(st) January 2009 and 31(st) May 2011. 149 incident reports were identified and classified. The majority (77%) of which were machine related (technical problems) such as access problems; computer system down/too slow; display issues; and software malfunctions. A further 10% (n = 15) of incidents were down to human-computer interaction issues and 13% (n = 19) incidents, mainly telephone related, could not be classified using the framework being tested. On the basis of this review of incidents, it is recommended that the framework be expanded to include hardware malfunctions and the wrong record retrieved/missing data associated with a machine output error (as opposed to human error). In terms of the implications for clinical practice, the incidents reviewed highlighted critical issues including the access problems particularly relating to the use of mobile technologies.

  15. TU-CD-BRD-00: Incident Learning / RO-ILS

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    NONE

    2015-06-15

    It has long been standard practice in radiation oncology to report internally when a patient’s treatment has not gone as planned and to report events to regulatory agencies when legally required. Most potential errors are caught early and never affect the patient. Quality assurance steps routinely prevent errors from reaching the patient, and these “near misses” are much more frequent than treatment errors. A growing number of radiation oncology facilities have implemented incident learning systems to report and analyze both errors and near misses. Using the term “incident learning” instead of “event reporting” emphasizes the need to use these experiencesmore » to change the practice and make future errors less likely and promote an educational, non-punitive environment. There are challenges in making such a system practical and effective. Speakers from institutions of different sizes and practice environments will share their experiences on how to make such a system work and what benefits their clinics have accrued. Questions that will be addressed include: How to create a system that is easy for front line staff to access How to motivate staff to report How to promote the system as positive and educational and not punitive or demeaning How to organize the team for reviewing and responding to reports How to prioritize which reports to discuss in depth How not to dismiss the rest How to identify underlying causes How to design corrective actions and implement change How to develop useful statistics and analysis tools How to coordinate a departmental system with a larger risk management system How to do this without a dedicated quality manager Some speakers’ experience is with in-house systems and some will share experience with the AAPM/ASTRO national Radiation Oncology Incident Learning System (RO-ILS). Reports intended to be of value nationally need to be comprehensible to outsiders; examples of useful reports will be shown. There will be ample

  16. Incidence and severity of self-reported chemotherapy side effects in routine care: A prospective cohort study

    PubMed Central

    Haas, Marion; Viney, Rosalie; Pearson, Sallie-Anne; Haywood, Philip; Brown, Chris; Ward, Robyn

    2017-01-01

    Aim Chemotherapy side effects are often reported in clinical trials; however, there is little evidence about their incidence in routine clinical care. The objective of this study was to describe the frequency and severity of patient-reported chemotherapy side effects in routine care across treatment centres in Australia. Methods We conducted a prospective cohort study of individuals with breast, lung or colorectal cancer undergoing chemotherapy. Side effects were identified by patient self-report. The frequency, prevalence and incidence rates of side effects were calculated by cancer type and grade, and cumulative incidence curves for each side effect computed. Frequencies of side effects were compared between demographic subgroups using chi-squared statistics. Results Side effect data were available for 449 eligible individuals, who had a median follow-up of 5.64 months. 86% of participants reported at least one side effect during the study period and 27% reported a grade IV side effect, most commonly fatigue or dyspnoea. Fatigue was the most common side effect overall (85%), followed by diarrhoea (74%) and constipation (74%). Prevalence and incidence rates were similar across side effects and cancer types. Age was the only demographic factor associated with the incidence of side effects, with older people less likely to report side effects. Conclusion This research has produced the first Australian estimates of self-reported incidence of chemotherapy side effects in routine clinical care. Chemotherapy side effects in routine care are common, continue throughout chemotherapy and can be serious. This work confirms the importance of observational data in providing clinical practice-relevant information to decision-makers. PMID:29016607

  17. Incidence and severity of self-reported chemotherapy side effects in routine care: A prospective cohort study.

    PubMed

    Pearce, Alison; Haas, Marion; Viney, Rosalie; Pearson, Sallie-Anne; Haywood, Philip; Brown, Chris; Ward, Robyn

    2017-01-01

    Chemotherapy side effects are often reported in clinical trials; however, there is little evidence about their incidence in routine clinical care. The objective of this study was to describe the frequency and severity of patient-reported chemotherapy side effects in routine care across treatment centres in Australia. We conducted a prospective cohort study of individuals with breast, lung or colorectal cancer undergoing chemotherapy. Side effects were identified by patient self-report. The frequency, prevalence and incidence rates of side effects were calculated by cancer type and grade, and cumulative incidence curves for each side effect computed. Frequencies of side effects were compared between demographic subgroups using chi-squared statistics. Side effect data were available for 449 eligible individuals, who had a median follow-up of 5.64 months. 86% of participants reported at least one side effect during the study period and 27% reported a grade IV side effect, most commonly fatigue or dyspnoea. Fatigue was the most common side effect overall (85%), followed by diarrhoea (74%) and constipation (74%). Prevalence and incidence rates were similar across side effects and cancer types. Age was the only demographic factor associated with the incidence of side effects, with older people less likely to report side effects. This research has produced the first Australian estimates of self-reported incidence of chemotherapy side effects in routine clinical care. Chemotherapy side effects in routine care are common, continue throughout chemotherapy and can be serious. This work confirms the importance of observational data in providing clinical practice-relevant information to decision-makers.

  18. Evaluating the Reliability of Emergency Response Systems for Large-Scale Incident Operations

    PubMed Central

    Jackson, Brian A.; Faith, Kay Sullivan; Willis, Henry H.

    2012-01-01

    Abstract The ability to measure emergency preparedness—to predict the likely performance of emergency response systems in future events—is critical for policy analysis in homeland security. Yet it remains difficult to know how prepared a response system is to deal with large-scale incidents, whether it be a natural disaster, terrorist attack, or industrial or transportation accident. This research draws on the fields of systems analysis and engineering to apply the concept of system reliability to the evaluation of emergency response systems. The authors describe a method for modeling an emergency response system; identifying how individual parts of the system might fail; and assessing the likelihood of each failure and the severity of its effects on the overall response effort. The authors walk the reader through two applications of this method: a simplified example in which responders must deliver medical treatment to a certain number of people in a specified time window, and a more complex scenario involving the release of chlorine gas. The authors also describe an exploratory analysis in which they parsed a set of after-action reports describing real-world incidents, to demonstrate how this method can be used to quantitatively analyze data on past response performance. The authors conclude with a discussion of how this method of measuring emergency response system reliability could inform policy discussion of emergency preparedness, how system reliability might be improved, and the costs of doing so. PMID:28083267

  19. Designing System Reforms: Using a Systems Approach to Translate Incident Analyses into Prevention Strategies.

    PubMed

    Goode, Natassia; Read, Gemma J M; van Mulken, Michelle R H; Clacy, Amanda; Salmon, Paul M

    2016-01-01

    Advocates of systems thinking approaches argue that accident prevention strategies should focus on reforming the system rather than on fixing the "broken components." However, little guidance exists on how organizations can translate incident data into prevention strategies that address the systemic causes of accidents. This article describes and evaluates a series of systems thinking prevention strategies that were designed in response to the analysis of multiple incidents. The study was undertaken in the led outdoor activity (LOA) sector in Australia, which delivers supervised or instructed outdoor activities such as canyoning, sea kayaking, rock climbing and camping. The design process involved workshops with practitioners, and focussed on incident data analyzed using Rasmussen's AcciMap technique. A series of reflection points based on the systemic causes of accidents was used to guide the design process, and the AcciMap technique was used to represent the prevention strategies and the relationships between them, leading to the creation of PreventiMaps. An evaluation of the PreventiMaps revealed that all of them incorporated the core principles of the systems thinking approach and many proposed prevention strategies for improving vertical integration across the LOA system. However, the majority failed to address the migration of work practices and the erosion of risk controls. Overall, the findings suggest that the design process was partially successful in helping practitioners to translate incident data into prevention strategies that addressed the systemic causes of accidents; refinement of the design process is required to focus practitioners more on designing monitoring and feedback mechanisms to support decisions at the higher levels of the system.

  20. Comparing Electronic News Media Reports of Potential Bioterrorism-Related Incidents Involving Unknown White Powder to Reports Received by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Federal Bureau of Investigation: USA, 2009–2011

    PubMed Central

    Fajardo, Geroncio C.; Posid, Joseph; Papagiotas, Stephen; Lowe, Luis

    2015-01-01

    There have been periodic electronic news media reports of potential bioterrorism-related incidents involving unknown substances (often referred to as “white powder”) since the 2001 intentional dissemination of Bacillus anthracis through the US Postal System. This study reviewed the number of unknown “white powder” incidents reported online by the electronic news media and compared them with unknown “white powder” incidents reported to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) during a two-year period from June 1, 2009 and May 31, 2011. Results identified 297 electronic news media reports, 538 CDC reports, and 384 FBI reports of unknown “white powder.” This study showed different unknown “white powder” incidents captured by each of the three sources. However, the authors could not determine the public health implications of this discordance. PMID:25420771

  1. Introduction to Pesticide Incidents

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Pesticides incidents must be reported by pesticide registrants. Others, such as members of the public and environmental professionals, would like to report pesticide incidents. This website will explain and facilitate such incident reporting.

  2. [Rules and regulations applying to incidents in radiotherapy].

    PubMed

    Lohr, F; Baus, W; Vorwerk, H; Schlömp, B; André, L; Georg, D; Hodapp, N

    2012-07-01

    Radiotherapy is an essential and reliable element of the treatment armamentarium in oncology. Numerous rules, regulations, and protocols minimize the associated risks. It can, however, never be excluded that errors in the treatment delivery chain result in inadequate tumor doses or unnecessary damage to organs at risk. A legal framework governs the management of such incidents. The most important European and North American regulations are reported. Various directives issued by the European Union are differently implemented nationally. This applies particularly to the characterization of incidents that must be reported to authorities. Reporting thresholds, audit systems, and the extent of the integration of voluntary reporting systems vary. Radiotherapy incidents are dealt with differently on an international level. Changes are to be expected based on the European Basic Safety Standards Directive that is currently being prepared and will have to be implemented nationally in due course.

  3. Changes in reports and incidence of child abuse following natural disasters.

    PubMed

    Curtis, T; Miller, B C; Berry, E H

    2000-09-01

    The aim of this research was to investigate if there is a higher incidence of child abuse following major natural disasters. Child abuse reports and substantiations were analyzed, by county, for 1 year before and after Hurricane Hugo, the Loma Prieta Earthquake. and Hurricane Andrew. Counties were included if damage was widespread, the county was part of a presidential disaster declaration, and if there was a stable data collection system in place. Based on analyses of numbers, rates, and proportions, child abuse reports were disproportionately higher in the quarter and half year following two of the three disaster events (Hurricane Hugo and Loma Prieta Earthquake). Most, but not all, of the evidence presented indicates that child abuse escalates after major disasters. Conceptual and methodological issues need to be resolved to more conclusively answer the question about whether or not child abuse increases in the wake of natural disasters. Replications of this research are needed based on more recent disaster events.

  4. The attributes of medical event-reporting systems: experience with a prototype medical event-reporting system for transfusion medicine.

    PubMed

    Battles, J B; Kaplan, H S; Van der Schaaf, T W; Shea, C E

    1998-03-01

    To design, develop, and implement a prototype medical event-reporting system for use in transfusion medicine to improve transfusion safety by studying incidents and errors. The IDEALS concept of design was used to identify specifications for the event-reporting system, and a Delphi and subsequent nominal group technique meetings were used to reach consensus on the development of the system. An interdisciplinary panel of experts from aviation safety, nuclear power, cognitive psychology, artificial intelligence, and education and representatives of major transfusion medicine organizations participated in the development process. Setting.- Three blood centers and three hospital transfusion services implemented the reporting system. A working prototype event-reporting system was recommended and implemented. The system has seven components: detection, selection, description, classification, computation, interpretation, and local evaluation. Its unique features include no-fault reporting initiated by the individual discovering the event, who submits a report that is investigated by local quality assurance personnel and forwarded to a nonregulatory central system for computation and interpretation. An event-reporting system incorporated into present quality assurance and risk management efforts can help organizations address system structural and procedural weakness where the potential for errors can adversely affect health care outcomes. Input from the end users of the system as well as from external experts should enable this reporting system to serve as a useful model for others who may develop event-reporting systems in other medical domains.

  5. Classification of medication incidents associated with information technology.

    PubMed

    Cheung, Ka-Chun; van der Veen, Willem; Bouvy, Marcel L; Wensing, Michel; van den Bemt, Patricia M L A; de Smet, Peter A G M

    2014-02-01

    Information technology (IT) plays a pivotal role in improving patient safety, but can also cause new problems for patient safety. This study analyzed the nature and consequences of a large sample of IT-related medication incidents, as reported by healthcare professionals in community pharmacies and hospitals. The medication incidents submitted to the Dutch central medication incidents registration (CMR) reporting system were analyzed from the perspective of the healthcare professional with the Magrabi classification. During classification new terms were added, if necessary. The principal source of the IT-related problem, nature of error. Additional measures: consequences of incidents, IT systems, phases of the medication process. From March 2010 to February 2011 the CMR received 4161 incidents: 1643 (39.5%) from community pharmacies and 2518 (60.5%) from hospitals. Eventually one of six incidents (16.1%, n=668) were related to IT; in community pharmacies more incidents (21.5%, n=351) were related to IT than in hospitals (12.6%, n=317). In community pharmacies 41.0% (n=150) of the incidents were about choosing the wrong medicine. Most of the erroneous exchanges were associated with confusion of medicine names and poor design of screens. In hospitals 55.3% (n=187) of incidents concerned human-machine interaction-related input during the use of computerized prescriber order entry. These use problems were also a major problem in pharmacy information systems outside the hospital. A large sample of incidents shows that many of the incidents are related to IT, both in community pharmacies and hospitals. The interaction between human and machine plays a pivotal role in IT incidents in both settings.

  6. 30 CFR 250.188 - What incidents must I report to BSEE and when must I report them?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 30 Mineral Resources 2 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false What incidents must I report to BSEE and when must I report them? 250.188 Section 250.188 Mineral Resources BUREAU OF SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENFORCEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR OFFSHORE OIL AND GAS AND SULPHUR OPERATIONS IN THE OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF General Information and Reporting...

  7. 30 CFR 250.188 - What incidents must I report to BSEE and when must I report them?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 30 Mineral Resources 2 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false What incidents must I report to BSEE and when must I report them? 250.188 Section 250.188 Mineral Resources BUREAU OF SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENFORCEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR OFFSHORE OIL AND GAS AND SULPHUR OPERATIONS IN THE OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF General Information and Reporting...

  8. 30 CFR 250.188 - What incidents must I report to BSEE and when must I report them?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 30 Mineral Resources 2 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false What incidents must I report to BSEE and when must I report them? 250.188 Section 250.188 Mineral Resources BUREAU OF SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENFORCEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR OFFSHORE OIL AND GAS AND SULPHUR OPERATIONS IN THE OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF General Information and Reporting...

  9. 30 CFR 250.188 - What incidents must I report to MMS and when must I report them?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 30 Mineral Resources 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false What incidents must I report to MMS and when must I report them? 250.188 Section 250.188 Mineral Resources MINERALS MANAGEMENT SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR OFFSHORE OIL AND GAS AND SULPHUR OPERATIONS IN THE OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF General Information and Reporting Requirements § 250.188...

  10. Epidemiology of systemic sclerosis: incidence, prevalence, survival, risk factors, malignancy, and environmental triggers.

    PubMed

    Barnes, Jammie; Mayes, Maureen D

    2012-03-01

    To identify the recent data regarding prevalence, incidence, survival, and risk factors for systemic sclerosis (SSc) and to compare these data to previously published findings. SSc disease occurrence data are now available for Argentina, Taiwan, and India and continue to show wide variation across geographic regions. The survival rate is negatively impacted by older age of onset, male sex, scleroderma renal crisis, pulmonary fibrosis, pulmonary arterial hypertension, cancer, and antitopoisomerase and anti-U1 antibodies. It appears that silica exposure confers an increased risk for developing scleroderma, but this exposure accounts for a very small proportion of male patients. Smoking is not associated with increased SSc susceptibility. Malignancies are reported in scleroderma at an increased rate, but the magnitude of this risk and the type of cancer vary among reports. Prevalence and incidence of SSc appears to be greater in populations of European ancestry and lower in Asian groups. Exposure to silica dust appears to be an environmental trigger, but this only accounts for a small proportion of male cases. Evidence for increased risk of neoplasia is suggestive, but the magnitude of the risk and the types of malignancies vary among reports.

  11. Designing System Reforms: Using a Systems Approach to Translate Incident Analyses into Prevention Strategies

    PubMed Central

    Goode, Natassia; Read, Gemma J. M.; van Mulken, Michelle R. H.; Clacy, Amanda; Salmon, Paul M.

    2016-01-01

    Advocates of systems thinking approaches argue that accident prevention strategies should focus on reforming the system rather than on fixing the “broken components.” However, little guidance exists on how organizations can translate incident data into prevention strategies that address the systemic causes of accidents. This article describes and evaluates a series of systems thinking prevention strategies that were designed in response to the analysis of multiple incidents. The study was undertaken in the led outdoor activity (LOA) sector in Australia, which delivers supervised or instructed outdoor activities such as canyoning, sea kayaking, rock climbing and camping. The design process involved workshops with practitioners, and focussed on incident data analyzed using Rasmussen's AcciMap technique. A series of reflection points based on the systemic causes of accidents was used to guide the design process, and the AcciMap technique was used to represent the prevention strategies and the relationships between them, leading to the creation of PreventiMaps. An evaluation of the PreventiMaps revealed that all of them incorporated the core principles of the systems thinking approach and many proposed prevention strategies for improving vertical integration across the LOA system. However, the majority failed to address the migration of work practices and the erosion of risk controls. Overall, the findings suggest that the design process was partially successful in helping practitioners to translate incident data into prevention strategies that addressed the systemic causes of accidents; refinement of the design process is required to focus practitioners more on designing monitoring and feedback mechanisms to support decisions at the higher levels of the system. PMID:28066296

  12. Effects of patient safety culture interventions on incident reporting in general practice: a cluster randomised trial

    PubMed Central

    Verbakel, Natasha J; Langelaan, Maaike; Verheij, Theo JM; Wagner, Cordula; Zwart, Dorien LM

    2015-01-01

    Background A constructive safety culture is essential for the successful implementation of patient safety improvements. Aim To assess the effect of two patient safety culture interventions on incident reporting as a proxy of safety culture. Design and setting A three-arm cluster randomised trial was conducted in a mixed method study, studying the effect of administering a patient safety culture questionnaire (intervention I), the questionnaire complemented with a practice-based workshop (intervention II) and no intervention (control) in 30 general practices in the Netherlands. Method The primary outcome, the number of reported incidents, was measured with a questionnaire at baseline and a year after. Analysis was performed using a negative binomial model. Secondary outcomes were quality and safety indicators and safety culture. Mixed effects linear regression was used to analyse the culture questionnaires. Results The number of incidents increased in both intervention groups, to 82 and 224 in intervention I and II respectively. Adjusted for baseline number of incidents, practice size and accreditation status, the study showed that practices that additionally participated in the workshop reported 42 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 9.81 to 177.50) times more incidents compared to the control group. Practices that only completed the questionnaire reported 5 (95% CI = 1.17 to 25.49) times more incidents. There were no statistically significant differences in staff perception of patient safety culture at follow-up between the three study groups. Conclusion Educating staff and facilitating discussion about patient safety culture in their own practice leads to increased reporting of incidents. It is beneficial to invest in a team-wise effort to improve patient safety. PMID:25918337

  13. Effects of patient safety culture interventions on incident reporting in general practice: a cluster randomised trial.

    PubMed

    Verbakel, Natasha J; Langelaan, Maaike; Verheij, Theo J M; Wagner, Cordula; Zwart, Dorien L M

    2015-05-01

    A constructive safety culture is essential for the successful implementation of patient safety improvements. To assess the effect of two patient safety culture interventions on incident reporting as a proxy of safety culture. A three-arm cluster randomised trial was conducted in a mixed method study, studying the effect of administering a patient safety culture questionnaire (intervention I), the questionnaire complemented with a practice-based workshop (intervention II) and no intervention (control) in 30 general practices in the Netherlands. The primary outcome, the number of reported incidents, was measured with a questionnaire at baseline and a year after. Analysis was performed using a negative binomial model. Secondary outcomes were quality and safety indicators and safety culture. Mixed effects linear regression was used to analyse the culture questionnaires. The number of incidents increased in both intervention groups, to 82 and 224 in intervention I and II respectively. Adjusted for baseline number of incidents, practice size and accreditation status, the study showed that practices that additionally participated in the workshop reported 42 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 9.81 to 177.50) times more incidents compared to the control group. Practices that only completed the questionnaire reported 5 (95% CI = 1.17 to 25.49) times more incidents. There were no statistically significant differences in staff perception of patient safety culture at follow-up between the three study groups. Educating staff and facilitating discussion about patient safety culture in their own practice leads to increased reporting of incidents. It is beneficial to invest in a team-wise effort to improve patient safety. © British Journal of General Practice 2015.

  14. Evaluating the Reliability of Emergency Response Systems for Large-Scale Incident Operations

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2010-01-01

    for describing response performance or other reliability related measures include Kolesar et al., 1975; Chelst and Jarvis , 1979; Revelle and Hogan...Chemicals,” Journal of Hazardous Materials, Vol. 159, 2008, pp. 2–12. Mason, Steve , Final Report, Incident Name: Teris LLC Explosion and Fire, El Dorado...Arkansas, EPA Region 6, Emergency Readiness Team, Response and Prevention Branch, March 2005. Mason, Steve , Final Report, Incident Name: Union Pacific

  15. A quantification of the effectiveness of EPID dosimetry and software-based plan verification systems in detecting incidents in radiotherapy

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Bojechko, Casey; Phillps, Mark; Kalet, Alan

    Purpose: Complex treatments in radiation therapy require robust verification in order to prevent errors that can adversely affect the patient. For this purpose, the authors estimate the effectiveness of detecting errors with a “defense in depth” system composed of electronic portal imaging device (EPID) based dosimetry and a software-based system composed of rules-based and Bayesian network verifications. Methods: The authors analyzed incidents with a high potential severity score, scored as a 3 or 4 on a 4 point scale, recorded in an in-house voluntary incident reporting system, collected from February 2012 to August 2014. The incidents were categorized into differentmore » failure modes. The detectability, defined as the number of incidents that are detectable divided total number of incidents, was calculated for each failure mode. Results: In total, 343 incidents were used in this study. Of the incidents 67% were related to photon external beam therapy (EBRT). The majority of the EBRT incidents were related to patient positioning and only a small number of these could be detected by EPID dosimetry when performed prior to treatment (6%). A large fraction could be detected by in vivo dosimetry performed during the first fraction (74%). Rules-based and Bayesian network verifications were found to be complimentary to EPID dosimetry, able to detect errors related to patient prescriptions and documentation, and errors unrelated to photon EBRT. Combining all of the verification steps together, 91% of all EBRT incidents could be detected. Conclusions: This study shows that the defense in depth system is potentially able to detect a large majority of incidents. The most effective EPID-based dosimetry verification is in vivo measurements during the first fraction and is complemented by rules-based and Bayesian network plan checking.« less

  16. Identifying patient safety problems associated with information technology in general practice: an analysis of incident reports.

    PubMed

    Magrabi, Farah; Liaw, Siaw Teng; Arachi, Diana; Runciman, William; Coiera, Enrico; Kidd, Michael R

    2016-11-01

    To identify the categories of problems with information technology (IT), which affect patient safety in general practice. General practitioners (GPs) reported incidents online or by telephone between May 2012 and November 2013. Incidents were reviewed against an existing classification for problems associated with IT and the clinical process impacted. 87 GPs across Australia. Types of problems, consequences and clinical processes. GPs reported 90 incidents involving IT which had an observable impact on the delivery of care, including actual patient harm as well as near miss events. Practice systems and medications were the most affected clinical processes. Problems with IT disrupted clinical workflow, wasted time and caused frustration. Issues with user interfaces, routine updates to software packages and drug databases, and the migration of records from one package to another generated clinical errors that were unique to IT; some could affect many patients at once. Human factors issues gave rise to some errors that have always existed with paper records but are more likely to occur and cause harm with IT. Such errors were linked to slips in concentration, multitasking, distractions and interruptions. Problems with patient identification and hybrid records generated errors that were in principle no different to paper records. Problems associated with IT include perennial risks with paper records, but additional disruptions in workflow and hazards for patients unique to IT, occasionally affecting multiple patients. Surveillance for such hazards may have general utility, but particularly in the context of migrating historical records to new systems and software updates to existing systems. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

  17. The role of patient simulation and incident reporting in the development and evaluation of medical devices and the training of their users.

    PubMed

    Dieckmann, P; Rall, M; Ostergaard, D

    2009-01-01

    We describe how simulation and incident reporting can be used in combination to make the interaction between people, (medical) technology and organisation safer for patients and users. We provide the background rationale for our conceptual ideas and apply the concepts to the analysis of an actual incident report. Simulation can serve as a laboratory to analyse such cases and to create relevant and effective training scenarios based on such analyses. We will describe a methodological framework for analysing simulation scenarios in a way that allows discovering and discussing mismatches between conceptual models of the device design and mental models users hold about the device and its use. We further describe how incident reporting systems can be used as one source of data to conduct the necessary needs analyses - both for training and further needs for closer analysis of specific devices or some of their special features or modes during usability analyses.

  18. Self-Reported Minimalist Running Injury Incidence and Severity: A Pilot Study.

    PubMed

    Ostermann, Katrina; Ridpath, Lance; Hanna, Jandy B

    2016-08-01

    Minimalist running entails using shoes with a flexible thin sole and is popular in the United States. Existing literature disagrees over whether minimalist running shoes (MRS) improve perceived severity of injuries associated with running in traditional running shoes (TRS). Additionally, the perceived injury patterns associated with MRS are relatively unknown. To examine whether injury incidence and severity (ie, degree of pain) by body region change after switching to MRS, and to determine if transition times affect injury incidences or severity with MRS. Runners who were either current or previous users of MRS were recruited to complete an Internet-based survey regarding self-reported injury before switching to MRS and whether self-reported pain from that injury decreased after switching. Questions regarding whether new injuries developed in respondents after switching to MRS were also included. Analyses were calculated using t tests, Wilcoxon signed rank tests, and Fischer exact tests. Forty-seven runners completed the survey, and 16 respondents reported injuries before switching to MRS. Among these respondents, pain resulting from injuries of the feet (P=.03) and knees (P=.01) decreased. Eighteen respondents (38.3%) indicated they sustained new injuries after switching to MRS, but the severity of these did not differ significantly from no injury. Neither time allowed for transition to MRS nor use or disuse of a stretching routine during this period was correlated with an increase in the incidence or severity of injuries. After switching to MRS, respondents perceived an improvement in foot and knee injuries. Additionally, respondents using MRS reported an injury rate of 38.3%, compared with the approximately 64% that the literature reports among TRS users. Future studies should be expanded to determine the full extent of the differences in injury patterns between MRS and TRS.

  19. Standardizing the classification of abortion incidents: the Procedural Abortion Incident Reporting and Surveillance (PAIRS) Framework.

    PubMed

    Taylor, Diana; Upadhyay, Ushma D; Fjerstad, Mary; Battistelli, Molly F; Weitz, Tracy A; Paul, Maureen E

    2017-07-01

    To develop and validate standardized criteria for assessing abortion-related incidents (adverse events, morbidities, near misses) for first-trimester aspiration abortion procedures and to demonstrate the utility of a standardized framework [the Procedural Abortion Incident Reporting & Surveillance (PAIRS) Framework] for estimating serious abortion-related adverse events. As part of a California-based study of early aspiration abortion provision conducted between 2007 and 2013, we developed and validated a standardized framework for defining and monitoring first-trimester (≤14weeks) aspiration abortion morbidity and adverse events using multiple methods: a literature review, framework criteria testing with empirical data, repeated expert reviews and data-based revisions to the framework. The final framework distinguishes incidents resulting from procedural abortion care (adverse events) from morbidity related to pregnancy, the abortion process and other nonabortion related conditions. It further classifies incidents by diagnosis (confirmatory data, etiology, risk factors), management (treatment type and location), timing (immediate or delayed), seriousness (minor or major) and outcome. Empirical validation of the framework using data from 19,673 women receiving aspiration abortions revealed almost an equal proportion of total adverse events (n=205, 1.04%) and total abortion- or pregnancy-related morbidity (n=194, 0.99%). The majority of adverse events were due to retained products of conception (0.37%), failed attempted abortion (0.15%) and postabortion infection (0.17%). Serious or major adverse events were rare (n=11, 0.06%). Distinguishing morbidity diagnoses from adverse events using a standardized, empirically tested framework confirms the very low frequency of serious adverse events related to clinic-based abortion care. The PAIRS Framework provides a useful set of tools to systematically classify and monitor abortion-related incidents for first

  20. Recommendations for Nuclear Medicine Technologists Drawn from an Analysis of Errors Reported in Australian Radiation Incident Registers.

    PubMed

    Kearney, Nicole; Denham, Gary

    2016-12-01

    When a radiation incident occurs in nuclear medicine in Australia, the incident is reported to the relevant state or territory authority, which performs an investigation and sends its findings to the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency. The agency then includes these data in its Australian Radiation Incident Register and makes them available to the public as an annual summary report on its website. The aim of this study was to analyze the radiation incidents included in these annual reports and in the publically available state and territory registers, identify any recurring themes, and make recommendations to minimize future incidents. A multidisciplinary team comprising a nuclear medicine technologist, a radiation therapist, and a diagnostic radiographer analyzed all nuclear medicine technology-, radiation therapy-, and diagnostic radiography-related incidents recorded in the Australian Radiation Incident Register and in the registers of New South Wales, Western Australia, Victoria, South Australia, and Tasmania between 2003 and 2015. Each incident was placed into 1 of 18 categories, and each category was examined to determine any recurring causes of the incidents. We analyzed 209 nuclear medicine incidents. Their primary cause was failure to comply with time-out protocols (85.6%). By analyzing both the causes and the rates of radiation incidents, we were able to recommend ways to help prevent them from being repeated. Information drawn from the Australian Radiation Incident Register and 5 state registers has revealed steps that can be taken by any nuclear medicine department to prevent repetition of the incidents that have already occurred. © 2016 by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Inc.

  1. Comparing electronic news media reports of potential bioterrorism-related incidents involving unknown white powder to reports received by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Federal Bureau of Investigation: U.S.A., 2009-2011.

    PubMed

    Fajardo, Geroncio C; Posid, Joseph; Papagiotas, Stephen; Lowe, Luis

    2015-01-01

    There have been periodic electronic news media reports of potential bioterrorism-related incidents involving unknown substances (often referred to as "white powder") since the 2001 intentional dissemination of Bacillus anthracis through the U.S. Postal System. This study reviewed the number of unknown "white powder" incidents reported online by the electronic news media and compared them with unknown "white powder" incidents reported to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) during a 2-year period from June 1, 2009 and May 31, 2011. Results identified 297 electronic news media reports, 538 CDC reports, and 384 FBI reports of unknown "white powder." This study showed different unknown "white powder" incidents captured by each of the three sources. However, the authors could not determine the public health implications of this discordance. Published 2014. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

  2. [Critical incidents].

    PubMed

    Scheidegger, D

    2005-03-01

    In medicine real severe mishaps are rare. On the other hand critical incidents are frequent. Anonymous critical incident reporting systems allow us to learn from these mishaps. This learning process will make our daily clinical work safer Unfortunately, before these systems can be used efficiently our professional culture has to be changed. Everyone in medicine has to admit that errors do occur to see the need for an open discussion. If we really want to learn from errors, we cannot punish the individual, who reported his or her mistake. The interest is primarily in what has happened and why it has happened and not who has committed this mistake. The cause for critical incidents in medicine is in over 80% the human factor Poor communication, work under enormous stress, conflicts and hierarchies are the main cause. This has been known for many years, therefore have already 15 years ago high-tech industries, like e.g. aviation, started to invest in special courses on team training. Medicine is a typical profession were until now only the individual performance decided about the professional career Communication, conflict management, stress management, decision making, risk management, team and team resource management were subjects that have never been taught during our preor postgraduate education. These points are the most important ones for an optimal teamwork. A multimodular course designed together with Swissair (Human Aspect Development medical, HADmedical) helps to cover, as in aviation, the soft factor and behavioural education in medicine and to prepare professionals in health care to work as a real team.

  3. 14 CFR 91.1021 - Internal safety reporting and incident/accident response.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    .../accident response. 91.1021 Section 91.1021 Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (CONTINUED) AIR TRAFFIC AND GENERAL OPERATING RULES GENERAL OPERATING AND FLIGHT... incident/accident response. (a) Each program manager must establish an internal anonymous safety reporting...

  4. A cross-national comparison of incident reporting systems implemented in German and Swiss hospitals.

    PubMed

    Manser, Tanja; Imhof, Michael; Lessing, Constanze; Briner, Matthias

    2017-06-01

    This study aimed to empirically compare incident reporting systems (IRS) in two European countries and to explore the relationship of IRS characteristics with context factors such as hospital characteristics and characteristics of clinical risk management (CRM). We performed exploratory, secondary analyses of data on characteristics of IRS from nationwide surveys of CRM practices. The survey was originally sent to 2136 hospitals in Germany and Switzerland. Persons responsible for CRM in 622 hospitals completed the survey (response rate 29%). None. Differences between IRS in German and Swiss hospitals were assessed using Chi2, Fisher's Exact and Freeman-Halton-Tests, as appropriate. To explore interrelations between IRS characteristics and context factors (i.e. hospital and CRM characteristics) we computed Cramer's V. Comparing participating hospitals across countries, Swiss hospitals had implemented IRS earlier, more frequently and more often provided introductory IRS training systematically. German hospitals had more frequently systematically implemented standardized procedures for event analyses. IRS characteristics were significantly associated with hospital characteristics such as hospital type as well as with CRM characteristics such as existence of strategic CRM objectives and of a dedicated position for central CRM coordination. This study contributes to an improved understanding of differences in the way IRS are set up in two European countries and explores related context factors. This opens up new possibilities for empirically informed, strategic interventions to further improve dissemination of IRS and thus support hospitals in their efforts to move patient safety forward. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press in association with the International Society for Quality in Health Care. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

  5. Annual incidence and standardized incidence ratio of cerebrovascular accidents in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

    PubMed

    Mok, C C; Ho, L Y; To, C H

    2009-01-01

    To study the annual incidence and standardized incidence ratio (SIR) of cerebrovascular accident (CVA) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The annual incidence of CVA from 1999 to 2007 in a longitudinal cohort of SLE patients was calculated each year and compared with that of the regional population within the same study period. Age-specific SIRs and outcome of CVA in SLE patients were also studied. In 2007, there were 490 SLE patients in our cohort. The mean annual incidence of CVA between 1999 and 2007 was 6.45/1000 patients and no obvious trend over time was observed. Of the 20 CVAs in patients with SLE, 18 (90%) were ischaemic stroke whereas two (10%) were haemorrhagic stroke. The mean SIR of all types of CVA in SLE patients was 2.02 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.30-3.81; p = 0.002]. The SIR of ischaemic stroke decreased with age and the stroke incidence was no longer significantly higher than that of the population in patients aged >or= 60 years. Haemorrhagic stroke occurred mainly in younger SLE patients. The duration of hospitalization and the mortality rate for CVA was non-significantly higher in SLE than in non-SLE patients. The incidence of CVA in SLE remained constant over the 8 years between 1999 and 2007. Younger SLE patients are at substantially increased risk of CVA compared to age-matched population. The duration of hospitalization and the mortality rate for CVA are similar in SLE and non-SLE patients.

  6. Water system unreliability and diarrhea incidence among children in Guatemala.

    PubMed

    Trudeau, Jennifer; Aksan, Anna-Maria; Vásquez, William F

    2018-03-01

    This article examines the effect of water system unreliability on diarrhea incidence among children aged 0-5 in Guatemala. We use secondary data from a nationally representative sample of 7579 children to estimate the effects of uninterrupted and interrupted water services on diarrhea incidence. The national scope of this study imposes some methodological challenges due to unobserved geographical heterogeneity. To address this issue, we estimate mixed-effects logit models that control for unobserved heterogeneity by estimating random effects of selected covariates that can vary across geographical areas (i.e. water system reliability). Compared to children without access to piped water, children with uninterrupted water services have a lower probability of diarrhea incidence by approximately 33 percentage points. Conversely, there is no differential effect between children without access and those with at least one day of service interruptions in the previous month. Results also confirm negative effects of age, female gender, spanish language, and garbage disposal on diarrhea incidence. Public health benefits of piped water are realized through uninterrupted provision of service, not merely access. Policy implications are discussed.

  7. Enhancing the Safety of Children in Foster Care and Family Support Programs: Automated Critical Incident Reporting

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brenner, Eliot; Freundlich, Madelyn

    2006-01-01

    The Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997 has made child safety an explicit focus in child welfare. The authors describe an automated critical incident reporting program designed for use in foster care and family-support programs. The program, which is based in Lotus Notes and uses e-mail to route incident reports from direct service staff to…

  8. Problem Reporting System

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Potter, Don; Serian, Charles; Sweet, Robert; Sapir, Babak; Gamez, Enrique; Mays, David

    2008-01-01

    The Problem Reporting System (PRS) is a Web application, running on two Web servers (load-balanced) and two database servers (RAID-5), which establishes a system for submission, editing, and sharing of reports to manage risk assessment of anomalies identified in NASA's flight projects. PRS consolidates diverse anomaly-reporting systems, maintains a rich database set, and incorporates a robust engine, which allows tracking of any hardware, software, or paper process by configuring an appropriate life cycle. Global and specific project administration and setup tools allow lifecycle tailoring, along with customizable controls for user, e-mail, notifications, and more. PRS is accessible via the World Wide Web for authorized user at most any location. Upon successful log-in, the user receives a customizable window, which displays time-critical 'To Do' items (anomalies requiring the user s input before the system moves the anomaly to the next phase of the lifecycle), anomalies originated by the user, anomalies the user has addressed, and custom queries that can be saved for future use. Access controls exist depending on a user's role as system administrator, project administrator, user, or developer, and then, further by association with user, project, subsystem, company, or item with provisions for business-to-business exclusions, limitations on access according to the covert or overt nature of a given project, all with multiple layers of filtration, as needed. Reporting of metrics is built in. There is a provision for proxy access (in which the user may choose to grant one or more other users to view screens and perform actions as though they were the user, during any part of a tracking life cycle - especially useful during tight build schedules and vacations to keep things moving). The system also provides users the ability to have an anomaly link to or notify other systems, including QA Inspection Reports, Safety, GIDEP (Government-Industry Data Exchange Program

  9. 30 CFR 250.188 - What incidents must I report to MMS and when must I report them?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 30 Mineral Resources 2 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false What incidents must I report to MMS and when must I report them? 250.188 Section 250.188 Mineral Resources BUREAU OF OCEAN ENERGY MANAGEMENT, REGULATION, AND ENFORCEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR OFFSHORE OIL AND GAS AND SULPHUR OPERATIONS IN THE OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF General Information and...

  10. 41 CFR 102-33.450 - How must we report accident and incident data?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ...-MANAGEMENT OF GOVERNMENT AIRCRAFT Reporting Information on Government Aircraft Accident and Incident Data... Street, NW., Washington, DC 20405. Common Aviation Management Information Standard (C-AMIS) ... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false How must we report...

  11. WE-G-BRA-03: Developing a Culture of Patient Safety Utilizing the National Radiation Oncology Incident Learning System (ROILS)

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hasson, B; Workie, D; Geraghty, C

    Purpose: To transition from an in-house incident reporting system to a ROILS standards system with the intent to develop a safety focused culture in the Department and enroll in ROILS. Methods: Since the AAPM Safety Summit (2010) several safety and reporting systems have been implemented within the Department. Specific checklists and SBAR reporting systems were introduced. However, the active learning component was lost due to reporting being viewed with distrust and possible retribution.To Facilitate introducing ROILS each leader in the Department received a copy of the ROILS participation guide. Four specific tasks were assigned to each leader: develop a reportingmore » tree, begin the ROILS based system, facilitate adopting ROILS Terminology, and educate the staff on expectations of safety culture. Next, the ROILS questions were broken down into area specific questions (10–15) per departmental area. Excel spreadsheets were developed for each area and setup for error reporting entries. The Role of the Process Improvement Committee (PI) has been modified to review and make recommendations based on the ROILS entries. Results: The ROILS based Reporting has been in place for 4 months. To date 64 reports have been entered. Since the adoption of ROILS the reporting of incidents has increased from 2/month to 18/month on average. Three reports had a dosimetric effect on the patient (<5%) dose variance. The large majority of entries have been Characterized as Processes not followed or not sure how to Characterize, and Human Behavior. Conclusion: The majority of errors are typo’s that create confusion. The introduction of the ROILS standards has provided a platform for making changes to policies that increase patient safety. The goal is to develop a culture that sees reporting at a national level as a safe and effective way to improve our safety, and to dynamically learn from other institutions reporting.« less

  12. The worldwide incidence and prevalence of systemic lupus erythematosus: a systematic review of epidemiological studies.

    PubMed

    Rees, Frances; Doherty, Michael; Grainge, Matthew J; Lanyon, Peter; Zhang, Weiya

    2017-11-01

    The aim was to review the worldwide incidence and prevalence of SLE and variation with age, sex, ethnicity and time. A systematic search of MEDLINE and EMBASE search engines was carried out using Medical Subject Headings and keyword search terms for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus combined with incidence, prevalence and epidemiology in August 2013 and updated in September 2016. Author, journal, year of publication, country, region, case-finding method, study period, number of incident or prevalent cases, incidence (per 100 000 person-years) or prevalence (per 100 000 persons) and age, sex or ethnic group-specific incidence or prevalence were collected. The highest estimates of incidence and prevalence of SLE were in North America [23.2/100 000 person-years (95% CI: 23.4, 24.0) and 241/100 000 people (95% CI: 130, 352), respectively]. The lowest incidences of SLE were reported in Africa and Ukraine (0.3/100 000 person-years), and the lowest prevalence was in Northern Australia (0 cases in a sample of 847 people). Women were more frequently affected than men for every age and ethnic group. Incidence peaked in middle adulthood and occurred later for men. People of Black ethnicity had the highest incidence and prevalence of SLE, whereas those with White ethnicity had the lowest incidence and prevalence. There appeared to be an increasing trend of SLE prevalence with time. There are worldwide differences in the incidence and prevalence of SLE that vary with sex, age, ethnicity and time. Further study of genetic and environmental risk factors may explain the reasons for these differences. More epidemiological studies in Africa are warranted. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Rheumatology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

  13. WE-G-BRA-01: Patient Safety and Treatment Quality Improvement Through Incident Learning: Experience of a Non-Academic Proton Therapy Center

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Zheng, Y; Johnson, R; Zhao, L

    2015-06-15

    Purpose: Incident learning has been proven to improve patient safety and treatment quality in conventional radiation therapy. However, its application in proton therapy has not been reported yet to our knowledge. In this study, we report our experience in developing and implementation of an in-house incident learning system. Methods: An incident learning system was developed based on published principles and tailored for our clinical practice and available resource about 18 months ago. The system includes four layers of error detection and report: 1) dosimetry peer review; 2) physicist plan quality assurance (QA); 3) treatment delivery issue on call and record;more » and 4) other incident report. The first two layers of QA and report were mandatory for each treatment plan through easy-to-use spreadsheets that are only accessible by the dosimetry and physicist departments. The treatment delivery issues were recorded case by case by the on call physicist. All other incidents were reported through an online incident report system, which can be anonymous. The incident report includes near misses on planning and delivery, process deviation, machine issues, work flow and documentation. Periodic incident reviews were performed. Results: In total, about 116 errors were reported through dosimetry review, 137 errors through plan QA, 83 treatment issues through physics on call record, and 30 through the online incident report. Only 8 incidents (2.2%) were considered to have a clinical impact to patients, and the rest of errors were either detected before reaching patients or had negligible dosimetric impact (<5% dose variance). Personnel training & process improvements were implemented upon periodic incident review. Conclusion: An incident learning system can be helpful in personnel training, error reduction, and patient safety and treatment quality improvement. The system needs to be catered for each clinic’s practice and available resources. Incident and knowledge

  14. 75 FR 51953 - Notification and Reporting of Aircraft Accidents or Incidents and Overdue Aircraft, and...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-08-24

    ... Accidents or Incidents and Overdue Aircraft, and Preservation of Aircraft Wreckage, Mail, Cargo, and Records... its regulations on the notification and reporting of aircraft accidents or incidents by adding a definition of ``unmanned aircraft accident'' and requiring that operators notify the NTSB of accidents...

  15. Developing freeway and incident management systems using the national ITS architecture

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1998-08-01

    This is one of a series of documents providing support for deploying Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS). This series addresses Traffic Signal Control Systems, Freeway and Incident Management Systems, Transit Management Systems, and Traveler Inf...

  16. Demonstration of Unmanned Aircraft Systems Use for Traffic Incident Management (UAS-TIM)

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2017-12-01

    Previous investigations into technologies that can improve incident response, monitoring, and clearance resulted in the potential application of Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) for use in Traffic Incident Management (TIM). An initial investigation of UA...

  17. Global surveillance for chemical incidents of international public health concern.

    PubMed Central

    Olowokure, B.; Pooransingh, S.; Tempowski, J.; Palmer, S.; Meredith, T.

    2005-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: In December 2001, an expert consultation convened by WHO identified strengthening national and global chemical incident preparedness and response as a priority. WHO is working towards this objective by developing a surveillance and response system for chemical incidents. This report describes the frequency, nature and geographical location of acute chemical incidents of potential international concern from August 2002 to December 2003. METHODS: Acute chemical incidents were actively identified through several informal (e.g. Internet-based resources) and formal (e.g. various networks of organizations) sources and assessed against criteria for public health emergencies of international concern using the then proposed revised International Health Regulations (IHR). WHO regional and country offices were contacted to obtain additional information regarding identified incidents. FINDINGS: Altogether, 35 chemical incidents from 26 countries met one or more of the IHR criteria. The WHO European Region accounted for 43% (15/35) of reports. The WHO Regions for Africa, Eastern Mediterranean and Western Pacific each accounted for 14% (5/35); South-East Asia and the Americas accounted for 9% (3/35) and 6% (2/35), respectively. Twenty-three (66%) events were identified within 24 hours of their occurrence. CONCLUSION: To our knowledge this is the first global surveillance system for chemical incidents of potential international concern. Limitations such as geographical and language bias associated with the current system are being addressed. Nevertheless, the system has shown that it can provide early detection of important events, as well as information on the magnitude and geographical distribution of such incidents. It can therefore contribute to improving global public health preparedness. PMID:16462985

  18. The impact of occupational health service network and reporting system in Taiwan.

    PubMed

    Chu, Po-Ching; Fuh, Hwan-Ran; Luo, Jiin-Chyuan; Du, Chung-Li; Chuang, Hung-Yi; Guo, How-Ran; Liu, Chiu-Shong; Su, Chien-Tien; Tang, Feng-Cheng; Chen, Chun-Chieh; Yang, Hsiao-Yu; Guo, Yue Leon

    2013-01-01

    Underreporting occupational disease cases has been a long-standing problem in Taiwan, which hinders the progress in occupational health and safety. To address this problem, the government has founded the Network of Occupational Diseases and Injuries Service (NODIS) for occupational disease and injury services and established a new Internet-based reporting system. The aims of this study are to analyze the possible influence of the NODIS, comprised of Center for Occupational Disease and Injury Services and their local network hospitals, on compensable occupational diseases and describe the distribution of occupational diseases across occupations and industries from 2005 to 2010 in Taiwan. We conducted a secondary analysis of two datasets, including the NODIS reporting dataset and the National Labor Insurance scheme's dataset of compensated cases. For the NODIS dataset, demographics, disease distribution, and the time trends of occupational diseases were analyzed. The data of the Labor Insurance dataset was used to calculate the annual incidence of compensated cases. Furthermore, the annual incidence of reported occupational diseases from the NODIS was further compared with the annual incidence of compensable occupational diseases from the compensated dataset during the same period. After the establishment of the NODIS, the two annual incidence rates of reported and compensable occupational disease cases have increased by 1.2 and 2.0 folds from 2007 to 2010, respectively. The reason for this increased reporting may be the implementation of the new government-funded Internet-based system. The reason for the increased compensable cases may be the increasing availability of hospitals and clinics to provide occupational health services. During the 2008-2010 period, the most frequently reported occupational diseases were carpal tunnel syndrome, lumbar disc disorder, upper limb musculoskeletal disorders, and contact dermatitis. The new network and reporting system was

  19. Advanced myopia, prevalence and incidence analysis.

    PubMed

    Greene, Peter R; Greene, Judith M

    2018-04-01

    Various high-percentage high-incidence medical conditions, acute or chronic, start at a particular age of onset t1 (years), accumulate or progress rapidly, with a system time constant t0 (years), typically from 1 week to 5 years, and then level off at a plateau level [Formula: see text], ultimately affecting 10-95% of the population. This report investigates the prevalence and incidence functions for myopia and high myopia as a function of age. Fundamental prevalence versus time and incidence versus time results allow continuous prediction of myopia and high myopia population fractions as a function of age. This is a retrospective study. Nine reports are calculated with N = 444,600 subjects. There were no interventions other than usual regular eye examinations and subsequent indicated refraction change. The main result is continuous prediction of myopia prevalence-time data along with incidence rate data (%/year), age of onset (years), system plateau level, and system time constant (years). These parameters apply to progressive myopia and high myopia (R < -6 D), useful over several decades. The primary finding of this research is that the prevalence ratio of high myopes (R < -6.0 D) to common myopes is expected to increase from 15% entering college to 45% or more after college and graduate school. These statistics are particularly relevant to the many years of study required by M.D., Ph.D., and M.D./Ph.D. programs.

  20. TU-D-201-04: Veracity of Data Elements in Radiation Oncology Incident Learning Systems

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kapur, A; Evans, S; Brown, D

    Purpose: Incident learning systems encompass volumes, varieties, values, and velocities of underlying data elements consistent with the V’s of big data. Veracity, the 5th V however exists only if there is high inter-rater reliability (IRR) within the data elements. The purpose of this work was to assess IRR in the nationally deployed RO-ILS: Radiation Oncology-Incident Learning System (R) sponsored by the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) and the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM). Methods: Ten incident reports covering a wide range of scenarios were created in standardized narrative and video formats and disseminated to 67 volunteers ofmore » multiple disciplines from 26 institutions along with two published narratives from the International Commission of Radiological Protection to assess IRR on a nationally representative level. The volunteers were instructed to independently enter the associated data elements in a test version of RO-ILS over a 3-week period. All responses were aggregated into a spreadsheet to assess IRR using free-marginal kappa metrics. Results: 48 volunteers from 21 institutions completed all reports in the study period. The average kappa score for all raters across all critical data elements was 0.659 [range 0.326–1.000]. Statistically significant differences (p <0.05) were noted between reporters of different disciplines and raters with varying levels of experience. Kappa scores were high for event classification (0.781) and contributory factors (0.777) and low for likelihood-of-harm (0.326). IRR was highest among AAPM-ASTRO members (0.672) and lowest among trainees (0.463). Conclusion: A moderate-to-substantial level of IRR in RO-ILS was noted in this study. Although the number of events reviewed in this study was small, opportunities for improving the taxonomy for the lower scoring data elements as well as specific educational targets for training were identified by assessing data veracity

  1. 76 FR 34812 - Proposed Information Collection (Report of Medical, Legal, and Other Expenses Incident to...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-06-14

    ... of Medical, Legal, and Other Expenses Incident to Recovery for Injury or Death) Activity; Comment... Expenses Incident to Recovery for Injury or Death, VA Form 21-8416b. OMB Control Number: 2900-0545. Type of... report compensation awarded by another entity or government agency for personal injury or death. Such...

  2. Nervous System and Intracranial Tumour Incidence by Ethnicity in England, 2001–2007: A Descriptive Epidemiological Study

    PubMed Central

    Maile, Edward J.; Barnes, Isobel; Finlayson, Alexander E.; Sayeed, Shameq; Ali, Raghib

    2016-01-01

    Background There is substantial variation in nervous system and intracranial tumour incidence worldwide. UK incidence data have limited utility because they group these diverse tumours together and do not provide data for individual ethnic groups within Blacks and South Asians. Our objective was to determine the incidence of individual tumour types for seven individual ethnic groups. Methods We used data from the National Cancer Intelligence Network on tumour site, age, sex and deprivation to identify 42,207 tumour cases. Self-reported ethnicity was obtained from the Hospital Episode Statistics database. We used mid-year population estimates from the Office for National Statistics. We analysed tumours by site using Poisson regression to estimate incidence rate ratios comparing non-White ethnicities to Whites after adjustment for sex, age and deprivation. Results Our study showed differences in tumour incidence by ethnicity for gliomas, meningiomas, pituitary tumours and cranial and paraspinal nerve tumours. Relative to Whites; South Asians, Blacks and Chinese have a lower incidence of gliomas (p<0.01), with respective incidence rate ratios of 0.68 (confidence interval: 0.60–0.77), 0.62 (0.52–0.73) and 0.58 (0.41–0.83). Blacks have a higher incidence of meningioma (p<0.01) with an incidence rate ratio of 1.29 (1.05–1.59) and there is heterogeneity in meningioma incidence between individual South Asian ethnicities. Blacks have a higher incidence of pituitary tumours relative to Whites (p<0.01) with an incidence rate ratio of 2.95 (2.37–3.67). There is heterogeneity in pituitary tumour incidence between individual South Asian ethnicities. Conclusions We present incidence data of individual tumour types for seven ethnic groups. Current understanding of the aetiology of these tumours cannot explain our results. These findings suggest avenues for further work. PMID:27135830

  3. The CSB Incident Screening Database: description, summary statistics and uses.

    PubMed

    Gomez, Manuel R; Casper, Susan; Smith, E Allen

    2008-11-15

    This paper briefly describes the Chemical Incident Screening Database currently used by the CSB to identify and evaluate chemical incidents for possible investigations, and summarizes descriptive statistics from this database that can potentially help to estimate the number, character, and consequences of chemical incidents in the US. The report compares some of the information in the CSB database to roughly similar information available from databases operated by EPA and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), and explores the possible implications of these comparisons with regard to the dimension of the chemical incident problem. Finally, the report explores in a preliminary way whether a system modeled after the existing CSB screening database could be developed to serve as a national surveillance tool for chemical incidents.

  4. Implementing the Hospital Emergency Incident Command System: an integrated delivery system's experience.

    PubMed

    Zane, Richard D; Prestipino, Ann L

    2004-01-01

    Hospital disaster manuals and response plans often lack formal command structure; instead, they rely on the presence of key individuals who are familiar with hospital operations, or who are in leadership positions during routine, day-to-day operations. Although this structure occasionally may prove to be successful, it is unreliable, as this leadership may be unavailable at the time of the crisis, and may not be sustainable during a prolonged event. The Hospital Emergency Incident Command System (HEICS) provides a command structure that does not rely on specific individuals, is flexible and expandable, and is ubiquitous in the fire service, emergency medical services, military, and police agencies, thus allowing for ease of communication during event management. A descriptive report of the implementation of the HEICS throughout a large healthcare network is reviewed. Implementation of the HEICS provides a consistent command structure for hospitals that enables consistency and commonality with other hospitals and disaster response entities.

  5. Second Workshop on the Investigation and Reporting of Incidents and Accidents, IRIA 2003

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hayhurst, Kelly J. (Compiler); Holloway, C. Michael (Compiler)

    2003-01-01

    This publication consists of papers presented at the Second Workshop on the Investigation and Reporting of Incidents and Accidents, IRIA 2003, sponsored by NASA Langley Research Center and the University of Virginia.

  6. Incidence of cervical human papillomavirus infection in systemic lupus erythematosus women.

    PubMed

    Mendoza-Pinto, C; García-Carrasco, M; Vallejo-Ruiz, V; Méndez-Martínez, S; Taboada-Cole, A; Etchegaray-Morales, I; Muñóz-Guarneros, M; Reyes-Leyva, J; López-Colombo, A

    2017-08-01

    Objectives Our objective was to study the incidence, persistence and clearance of human papillomavirus infection in systemic lupus erythematosus women and assess risk factors for persistence of human papillomavirus infection. Methods We carried out a prospective, observational cohort study of 127 systemic lupus erythematosus women. Patients were evaluated at baseline and at three years. Traditional and systemic lupus erythematosus women-related disease risk factors were collected. Gynaecological evaluations and cervical cytology screening were made. Human papillomavirus detection and genotyping were made by polymerase chain reaction and linear array. Results The cumulative prevalence of human papillomavirus infection increased from 22.8% at baseline to 33.8% at three years; p = < 0.001: 20.1% of patients experienced 43 incident infections. The risk of any human papillomavirus infection was 10.1 per 1000 patient-months. At three years, 47 (88.6%) prevalent infections were cleared. Independent risk factors associated with incident human papillomavirus infection included more lifetime sexual partners (odds ratio = 1.8, 95% confidence interval = 1.11-3.0) and cumulative cyclophosphamide dose (odds ratio = 3.9, 95% confidence interval = 1.2-12.8). Conclusions In systemic lupus erythematosus women, the cumulative prevalence of human papillomavirus infection, including high risk-human papillomavirus and multiple human papillomavirus infections, may increase over time. Most persistent infections were low risk-human papillomavirus. The number of lifetime sexual partners and the cumulative cyclophosphamide dose were independently associated with incident human papillomavirus infection.

  7. Analysis Of FEL Optical Systems With Grazing Incidence Mirrors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Knapp, C. E.; Viswanathan, V. K.; Bender, S. C.; Appert, Q. D.; Lawrence, G.; Barnard, C.

    1986-11-01

    The use of grazing incidence optics in resonators alleviates the problem of damage to the optical elements and permits higher powers in cavities of reasonable dimensions for a free electron laser (FEL). The design and manufacture of a grazing incidence beam expander for the Los Alamos FEL mock up has been completed. In this paper, we describe the analysis of a bare cavity, grazing incidence optical beam expander for an FEL system. Since the existing geometrical and physical optics codes were inadequate for such an analysis, the GLAD code was modified to include global coordinates, exact conic representation, raytracing, and exact aberration features to determine the alignment sensitivities of laser resonators. A resonator cavity has been manufactured and experimentally setup in the Optical Evaluation Laboratory at Los Alamos. Calculated performance is compared with the laboratory measurements obtained so far.

  8. Incidence of revision after primary implantation of the Agility™ total ankle replacement system: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Roukis, Thomas S

    2012-01-01

    Revision of failed total ankle replacement remains a challenge with limited information available to guide treatment options. I undertook a systematic review of electronic databases and other relevant sources to identify material relating to the incidence of revision after primary implantation of the Agility™ Total Ankle Replacement System. In an effort to procure the highest quality studies available, studies were eligible for inclusion only if they involved patients undergoing primary Agility™ Total Ankle Replacement; had evaluated patients at a mean follow-up of 12 months or longer; included details of the revision performed; and included revision etiologies of aseptic loosening, ballooning osteolysis, cystic changes, malalignment, or instability. A total of 14 studies involving 2312 ankles, with a weighted mean follow-up of 22.8 months, were included. Of the 2312 ankles, 224 (9.7%) underwent revision, of which 182 (81.3%) underwent implant component replacement, 34 (15.2%) underwent arthrodesis, and 8 (3.6%) underwent below-knee amputation. No significant effect from the surgeon's learning curve on the incidence of revision or the type of revision surgery performed was identified. However, excluding the inventor increased the incidence of revision twofold, from 6.6% to 12.2%, and skewed the type of revision away from arthrodesis and toward implant component replacement or below-knee amputation. Regardless, the incidence of revision after primary implantation of the Agility™ Total Ankle Replacement System was less than historically reported and amenable to implant component revision more than 80% of the time. However, methodologically sound cohort studies are needed that include the outcomes after revision surgery, specifically focusing on what implant component replacement techniques are effective in enhancing survivorship of these revised implants and the role of custom-stemmed talar and tibial components have in revision of the Agility™ Total Ankle

  9. Finding clusters of similar events within clinical incident reports: a novel methodology combining case based reasoning and information retrieval

    PubMed Central

    Tsatsoulis, C; Amthauer, H

    2003-01-01

    A novel methodological approach for identifying clusters of similar medical incidents by analyzing large databases of incident reports is described. The discovery of similar events allows the identification of patterns and trends, and makes possible the prediction of future events and the establishment of barriers and best practices. Two techniques from the fields of information science and artificial intelligence have been integrated—namely, case based reasoning and information retrieval—and very good clustering accuracies have been achieved on a test data set of incident reports from transfusion medicine. This work suggests that clustering should integrate the features of an incident captured in traditional form based records together with the detailed information found in the narrative included in event reports. PMID:14645892

  10. Human Factors in Financial Trading: An Analysis of Trading Incidents.

    PubMed

    Leaver, Meghan; Reader, Tom W

    2016-09-01

    This study tests the reliability of a system (FINANS) to collect and analyze incident reports in the financial trading domain and is guided by a human factors taxonomy used to describe error in the trading domain. Research indicates the utility of applying human factors theory to understand error in finance, yet empirical research is lacking. We report on the development of the first system for capturing and analyzing human factors-related issues in operational trading incidents. In the first study, 20 incidents are analyzed by an expert user group against a referent standard to establish the reliability of FINANS. In the second study, 750 incidents are analyzed using distribution, mean, pathway, and associative analysis to describe the data. Kappa scores indicate that categories within FINANS can be reliably used to identify and extract data on human factors-related problems underlying trading incidents. Approximately 1% of trades (n = 750) lead to an incident. Slip/lapse (61%), situation awareness (51%), and teamwork (40%) were found to be the most common problems underlying incidents. For the most serious incidents, problems in situation awareness and teamwork were most common. We show that (a) experts in the trading domain can reliably and accurately code human factors in incidents, (b) 1% of trades incur error, and (c) poor teamwork skills and situation awareness underpin the most critical incidents. This research provides data crucial for ameliorating risk within financial trading organizations, with implications for regulation and policy. © 2016, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.

  11. 40 CFR 1612.3 - Published reports and material contained in the public incident investigation dockets.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 32 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Published reports and material... Published reports and material contained in the public incident investigation dockets. (a) Demands for published investigation reports should be directed to the Office of Congressional and Public Affairs, U.S...

  12. [Cancer incidence in the military: an update].

    PubMed

    Peragallo, Mario Stefano; Urbano, Francesco; Sarnicola, Giuseppe; Lista, Florigio; Vecchione, Alfredo

    2011-01-01

    An abnormally elevated rate of Hodgkin's lymphoma was reported in 2001 among Italian soldiers in Bosnia and Kosovo since 1995: a surveillance system was therefore set up for the military community. Preliminary results for a longer period (1996-2007) have shown incidence rates lower than expected for all malignancies. No significant difference was registered between observed and expected cases of Hodkin's lymphoma: the excess of reported cases for this malignancy in 2001-2002 was probably due to a peak occurred in 2000 among the whole military; it is therefore unrelated to deployment in the Balkans, and probably represents a chance event. Moreover, a significant excess of thyroid cancer was reported among the whole military.The estimated number of incident cases, including those missed by the surveillance system, was not significantly higher than expected for all cancers; conversely, the estimated incidence rate of thyroid cancer was significantly increased; this excess, however, is probably due to a selection bias.These data concerning cancer surveillance in the Italian military are consistent with lacking evidence of an increased cancer incidence among troops of other countries deployed in the areas of Iraq, Bosnia, and Kosovo, where armour penetrating depleted uranium shells have been used. However, a comprehensive assessment of cancer morbidity in the military requires a revision of the privacy regulations, in order to link individual records of military personnel and data bases of the National Health Service.

  13. School Crisis Teams within an Incident Command System

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nickerson, Amanda B.; Brock, Stephen E.; Reeves, Melissa A.

    2006-01-01

    Despite the increasing attention given to the need for schools to be prepared to respond in a variety of crisis situations, there is a lack of information about how to coordinate with multiple agencies following a crisis. This article describes the U. S. Department of Homeland Security's (2004) National Incident Management System and its Incident…

  14. Implementing the incident command system in the healthcare setting.

    PubMed

    Huser, T J

    The author discusses a new requirement in NFPA 99 for healthcare facilities--the implementation of an Incident Command System in the event of a disaster. He offers suggestions on how facilities can change their disaster plans to meet this new standard.

  15. Effects and Satisfaction of Medical Device Safety Information Reporting System Using Electronic Medical Record.

    PubMed

    Jang, Hye Jung; Choi, Young Deuk; Kim, Nam Hyun

    2017-04-01

    This paper describes an evaluation study on the effectiveness of developing an in-hospital medical device safety information reporting system for managing safety information, including adverse incident data related to medical devices, following the enactment of the Medical Device Act in Korea. Medical device safety information reports were analyzed for 190 cases that took place prior to the application of a medical device safety information reporting system and during a period when the reporting system was used. Also, questionnaires were used to measure the effectiveness of the medical device safety information reporting system. The analysis was based on the questionnaire responses of 15 reporters who submitted reports in both the pre- and post-reporting system periods. Sixty-two reports were submitted in paper form, but after the system was set up, this number more than doubled to 128 reports in electronic form. In terms of itemized reporting, a total of 45 items were reported. Before the system was used, 23 items had been reported, but this increased to 32 items after the system was put to use. All survey variables of satisfaction received a mean of over 3 points, while positive attitude , potential benefits , and positive benefits all exceeded 4 points, each receiving 4.20, 4.20, and 4.13, respectively. Among the variables, time-consuming and decision-making had the lowest mean values, each receiving 3.53. Satisfaction was found to be high for system quality and user satisfaction , but relatively low for time-consuming and decision-making . We were able to verify that effective reporting and monitoring of adverse incidents and the safety of medical devices can be implemented through the establishment of an in-hospital medical device safety information reporting system that can enhance patient safety and medical device risk management.

  16. Cancer incidence in atomic bomb survivors. Part IV: Comparison of cancer incidence and mortality

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ron, E.; Preston, D.L.; Mabuchi, Kiyohiko

    1994-02-01

    This report compares cancer incidence and mortality among atomic bomb survivors in the Radiation Effects Research Foundation Life Span Study (LSS) cohort. Because the incidence data are derived from the Hiroshima and Nagasaki tumor registries, case ascertainment is limited to the time (1958-1987) and geographic restrictions (Hiroshima and Nagasaki) of the registries, whereas mortality data are available from 1950-1987 anywhere in Japan. With these conditions, there were 9,014 first primary incident cancer cases identified among LSS cohort members compared with 7,308 deaths for which cancer was listed as the underlying cause of death on death certificates. When deaths were limitedmore » to those occurring between 1958-1987 in Hiroshima or Nagasaki, there were 3,155 more incident cancer cases overall, and 1,262 more cancers of the digestive system. For cancers of the oral cavity and pharynx, skin, breast, female and male genital organs, urinary system and thyroid, the incidence series was at least twice as large as the comparable mortality series. Although the incidence and mortality data are dissimilar in many ways, the overall conclusions regarding which solid cancers provide evidence of a significant dose response generally confirm the mortality findings. When either incidence or mortality data are evaluated, significant excess risks are observed for all solid cancers, stomach, colon, liver (when it is defined as primary liver cancer or liver cancer not otherwise specified on the death certificate), lung, breast, ovary and urinary bladder. No significant radiation effect is seen for cancers of the pharynx, rectum, gallbladder, pancreas, nose, larynx, uterus, prostate or kidney in either series. There is evidence of a significant excess of nonmelanoma skin cancer in the incidence data, but not in the mortality series. 19 refs., 2 figs., 10 tabs.« less

  17. 76 FR 54004 - Agency Information Collection (Report of Medical, Legal, and Other Expenses Incident to Recovery...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-08-30

    ... of Medical, Legal, and Other Expenses Incident to Recovery for Injury or Death) Activity under OMB... INFORMATION: Title: Report of Medical, Legal, and Other Expenses Incident to Recovery for Injury or Death, VA... government agency for personal injury or death. Such award is considered as countable income; however...

  18. Aviation Safety Reporting System: Process and Procedures

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Connell, Linda J.

    1997-01-01

    The Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) was established in 1976 under an agreement between the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). This cooperative safety program invites pilots, air traffic controllers, flight attendants, maintenance personnel, and others to voluntarily report to NASA any aviation incident or safety hazard. The FAA provides most of the program funding. NASA administers the program, sets its policies in consultation with the FAA and aviation community, and receives the reports submitted to the program. The FAA offers those who use the ASRS program two important reporting guarantees: confidentiality and limited immunity. Reports sent to ASRS are held in strict confidence. More than 350,000 reports have been submitted since the program's beginning without a single reporter's identity being revealed. ASRS removes all personal names and other potentially identifying information before entering reports into its database. This system is a very successful, proof-of-concept for gathering safety data in order to provide timely information about safety issues. The ASRS information is crucial to aviation safety efforts both nationally and internationally. It can be utilized as the first step in safety by providing the direction and content to informed policies, procedures, and research, especially human factors. The ASRS process and procedures will be presented as one model of safety reporting feedback systems.

  19. Reporting of Child Maltreatment: A Secondary Analysis of the National Incidence Surveys.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ards, Sheila; Harrell, Adele

    1993-01-01

    Data from the National Study of the Incidence and Prevalence of Child Abuse and Neglect were analyzed concerning kinds of cases underreported, overreported, or not reported. The analysis examined age, family income, sex, race, urban or rural, and type of abuse from sexual abuse to educational neglect. (JDD)

  20. Patient safety in palliative care: A mixed-methods study of reports to a national database of serious incidents.

    PubMed

    Yardley, Iain; Yardley, Sarah; Williams, Huw; Carson-Stevens, Andrew; Donaldson, Liam J

    2018-06-01

    Patients receiving palliative care are vulnerable to patient safety incidents but little is known about the extent of harm caused or the origins of unsafe care in this population. To quantify and qualitatively analyse serious incident reports in order to understand the causes and impact of unsafe care in a population receiving palliative care. A mixed-methods approach was used. Following quantification of type of incidents and their location, a qualitative analysis using a modified framework method was used to interpret themes in reports to examine the underlying causes and the nature of resultant harms. Reports to a national database of 'serious incidents requiring investigation' involving patients receiving palliative care in the National Health Service (NHS) in England during the 12-year period, April 2002 to March 2014. A total of 475 reports were identified: 266 related to pressure ulcers, 91 to medication errors, 46 to falls, 21 to healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs), 18 were other instances of disturbed dying, 14 were allegations against health professions, 8 transfer incidents, 6 suicides and 5 other concerns. The frequency of report types differed according to the care setting. Underlying causes included lack of palliative care experience, under-resourcing and poor service coordination. Resultant harms included worsened symptoms, disrupted dying, serious injury and hastened death. Unsafe care presents a risk of significant harm to patients receiving palliative care. Improvements in the coordination of care delivery alongside wider availability of specialist palliative care support may reduce this risk.

  1. 78 FR 38803 - Pipeline Safety: Information Collection Activities, Revisions to Incident and Annual Reports for...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-06-27

    ... Reports for Gas Pipeline Operators AGENCY: Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA... DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration [Docket No... (OMB) Control No. 2137-0522, titled ``Incident and Annual Reports for Gas Pipeline Operators.'' PHMSA...

  2. Efficacy of critical incident monitoring for evaluating disaster medical readiness and response during the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.

    PubMed

    Flabouris, Arthas; Nocera, Antony; Garner, Alan

    2004-01-01

    Multiple casualty incidents (MCI) are infrequent events for medical systems. This renders audit and quality improvement of the medical responses difficult. Quality tools and use of such tools for improvement is necessary to ensure that the design of medical systems facilitates the best possible response to MCI. To describe the utility of incident reporting as a quality monitoring and improvement tool during the deployment of medical teams for mass gatherings and multiple casualty incidents. Voluntary and confidential reporting of incidents was provided by members of the disaster medical response teams during the period of disaster medical team deployment for the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. Qualitative evaluations were conducted of reported incidents. The main outcome measures included the nature of incident and associated contributing factors, minimization factors, harm potential, and comparison with the post-deployment, cold debriefings. A total of 53 incidents were reported. Management-based decisions, poor or non-existent protocols, and equipment and communication-related issues were the principal contributing factors. Eighty nine percent of the incidents were considered preventable. A potential for harm to patients and/or team members was documented in 58% of reports, of which 76% were likely to cause at least significant harm. Of equipment incidents, personal protective equipment (33%), medical equipment (27%), provision of equipment (22%), and communication equipment (17%) predominated. Personal protective equipment (50%) was reported as the most frequent occupational health and safety incident followed by fatigue (25%). Pre-deployment planning was the most important factor for future incident impact minimization. Incident monitoring was efficacious as a quality tool in identifying incident contributing factors. Incident monitoring allowed for greater systems evaluation. Further evaluation of this quality tool within different disaster settings is required.

  3. Violent behaviour in a forensic psychiatric hospital in Finland: an analysis of violence incident reports.

    PubMed

    Kuivalainen, S; Vehviläinen-Julkunen, K; Putkonen, A; Louheranta, O; Tiihonen, J

    2014-04-01

    The aim of this paper was to explore the frequency and provocation of physically violent incidents in a Finnish forensic psychiatric hospital. Three years (2007-2009) of violent incident reports were analysed retrospectively. The data were analysed by content analysis, and statistically by Poisson regression analysis. During the study period a total of 840 incidents of physical violence occurred. Six main categories were found to describe the provocation of violence where three of these categories seemed to be without a specified reason (61%), and three represented a reaction to something (36%). The risk for violent behaviour was highest for the civil patients (RR = 11.96; CI 95% 9.43-15.18; P < 0.001), compared to criminal patients (RR = 1). The civil patients represented 36.7% of the patients, and in 43.6% of the studied patient days, they caused 89.8% of the reported violence incidents. Patients undergoing a forensic mental examination did not frequently behave aggressively (RR = 1.97; CI 95% 0.91-4.28). These results can be used in the reorganization of health-care practices and the allocation of resources. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  4. Incidence and prevalence of systemic lupus erythematosus among the native Arab population in UAE.

    PubMed

    Al Dhanhani, A M; Agarwal, M; Othman, Y S; Bakoush, O

    2017-05-01

    Background and objectives There is a paucity of information about the epidemiology of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) amongst Arabs. The objective of this study was to determine the incidence and prevalence of SLE among the native Arab population of United Arab Emirates (UAE). Methods Patients with SLE were identified from three sources: medical records of two local tertiary hospitals (four years; 2009 to 2012), laboratory requests for serum double stranded deoxyribonucleic acid and serum anti-nuclear antibody and confirmed histopathologic diagnosis of SLE (skin and kidney biopsy specimens). All the patients identified with SLE met the criteria of the American College of Rheumatology. Incidence and prevalence were calculated using the state records of the UAE native population as the denominator. The age-adjusted incidence was calculated by direct standardization using the World Health Organization world standard population 2000-2025. Results Sixteen new cases (13 females and three males) fulfilled the American College of Rheumatology SLE criteria. The mean (±SD) age at time of diagnosis was 28.6 ± 12.4 years. The crude incidence ratio (per 100,000 population) was 3.5, 1.1, 2.1 and 2.1 in years 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, respectively. The age-standardized incidence per 100,000 population for the four years was 8.6 (95% confidence interval 4.2-15.9). The age-standardized prevalence of SLE among the native population according to the 2012 population consensus was 103/100,000 population (95% confidence interval 84.5-124.4). Conclusion The age-adjusted incidence and prevalence among UAE Arabs is higher than has been reported among most other Caucasian populations. Furthermore, the prevalence of SLE in UAE seems much higher than other similar Arab countries in the Gulf region.

  5. Multi-media authoring - Instruction and training of air traffic controllers based on ASRS incident reports

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Armstrong, Herbert B.; Roske-Hofstrand, Renate J.

    1989-01-01

    This paper discusses the use of computer-assisted instructions and flight simulations to enhance procedural and perceptual motor task training. Attention is called to the fact that incorporating the accident and incident data contained in reports filed with the Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) would be a valuable training tool which the learner could apply for other situations. The need to segment the events is emphasized; this would make it possible to modify events in order to suit the needs of the training environment. Methods were developed for designing meaningful scenario development on runway incursions on the basis of analysis of ASRS reports. It is noted that, while the development of interactive training tools using the ASRS and other data bases holds much promise, the design and production of interactive video programs and laser disks are very expensive. It is suggested that this problem may be overcome by sharing the costs of production to develop a library of materials available to a broad range of users.

  6. Neural network model for automatic traffic incident detection : final report, August 2001.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2001-08-01

    Automatic freeway incident detection is an important component of advanced transportation management systems (ATMS) that provides information for emergency relief and traffic control and management purposes. In this research, a multi-paradigm intelli...

  7. Incidence of childhood linear scleroderma and systemic sclerosis in the UK and Ireland.

    PubMed

    Herrick, Ariane L; Ennis, Holly; Bhushan, Monica; Silman, Alan J; Baildam, Eileen M

    2010-02-01

    Childhood scleroderma encompasses a rare, poorly understood spectrum of conditions. Our aim was to ascertain the incidence of childhood scleroderma in its different forms in the UK and Ireland, and to describe the age, sex, and ethnicity of the cases. The members of 5 specialist medical associations including pediatricians, dermatologists, and rheumatologists were asked to report all cases of abnormal skin thickening suspected to be localized (including linear) scleroderma or systemic sclerosis (SSc) in children <16 years of age first seen between July 2005 and July 2007. We received notification of 185 potential cases, and 94 valid cases were confirmed: 87 (93%) with localized scleroderma and 7 (7%) with SSc. This gave an incidence rate per million children per year of 3.4 (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 2.7-4.1) for localized scleroderma, including an incidence rate of 2.5 (95% CI 1.8-3.1) for linear scleroderma, and 0.27 (95% CI 0.1-0.5) for SSc. Of the 87 localized cases, 62 (71%) had linear disease. Of localized disease cases, 55 (63%) were female, 71 (82%) were classified as white British, and the patients' mean age when first seen in secondary care was 10.4 years. Of the 7 SSc cases, all were female, 6 (86%) were white British, and the mean age when first seen was 12.1 years. The median delay between onset and being first seen was 13.1 months for localized scleroderma and 7.2 months for SSc. These data provide additional estimates of the incidence of this rare disorder and its subforms.

  8. Laser exposure incidents: pilot ocular health and aviation safety issues.

    PubMed

    Nakagawara, Van B; Wood, Kathryn J; Montgomery, Ron W

    2008-09-01

    A database of aviation reports involving laser illumination of flight crewmembers has been established and maintained at the Civil Aerospace Medical Institute. A review of recent laser illumination reports was initiated to investigate the significance of these events. Reports that involved laser exposures of civilian aircraft in the United States were analyzed for the 13-month period (January 1, 2004, through January 31, 2005). There were 90 reported instances of laser illumination during the study period. A total of 53 reports involved laser exposure of commercial aircraft. Lasers illuminated the cockpit in 41 (46%) of the incidents. Of those, 13 (32%) incidents resulted in a visual impairment or distraction to a pilot, including 1 incident that reportedly resulted in an ocular injury. Nearly 96% of these reports occurred in the last 3 months of the study period. There were no aviation accidents in which laser light illumination was found to be a contributing factor. Operational problems have resulted from laser illumination incidents in the national airspace system. Eye care practitioners, to provide effective consultations to their pilot patients, should be familiar with the problems that can occur with laser exposure.

  9. How can we improve the recognition, reporting and resolution of medical device-related incidents in hospitals? A qualitative study of physicians and registered nurses.

    PubMed

    Polisena, Julie; Gagliardi, Anna; Clifford, Tammy

    2015-06-06

    To explore factors that influence and to identify initiatives to improve the recognition, reporting and resolution of device-related incidents. Semi-structured telephone interviews with 16 health professionals in two tertiary care hospitals were conducted. Purposive sampling was used to identify appropriate study participants. Transcribed interviews were read independently by one individual to identify, define and organize themes and verified by another reviewer. Themes related to incident recognition were the hospital staff's knowledge and professional experience, medical device performance and clinical manifestations of patients, while incident reporting was influenced by error severity, personal attitudes of clinicians, feedback received on the error reported. Physicians often discontinued using medical devices if they malfunctioned. Education and training and the implementation of registries were discussed as important initiatives to improve medical device surveillance in clinical practice. Results from the telephone interviews suggest that multiple factors that influence participation in medical device surveillance activities are consistent with results for medical errors as reported in previous studies. The study results helped to propose a conceptual framework for a medical device surveillance system in a hospital context that would enhance patient safety and health care delivery.

  10. Development of a Tailored Methodology and Forensic Toolkit for Industrial Control Systems Incident Response

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2014-06-01

    for industrial control systems ,” in Proceedings of the VDE Kongress, 2004. [15] K. Stouffer et al., “Special publication 800-82: Guide to industrial...TAILORED METHODOLOGY AND FORENSIC TOOLKIT FOR INDUSTRIAL CONTROL SYSTEMS INCIDENT RESPONSE by Nicholas B. Carr June 2014 Thesis Co...CONTROL SYSTEMS INCIDENT RESPONSE 5. FUNDING NUMBERS 6. AUTHOR(S) Nicholas B. Carr 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) Naval

  11. Occupational Bloodborne Exposure Incident Survey & Management of Exposure Incidents in a Dental Teaching Environment

    PubMed Central

    Sedky, Nabila A.

    2013-01-01

    Objectives The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of occupational exposure incidents among undergraduate dental students and the factors associated with it in the educational dental clinics at Pharos University in Alexandria – Egypt, and to measure the commitment with applying infection control policy in the form of compliance with post-exposure management protocol and reporting exposure incidents. Materials and Methods An anonymous self-administered questionnaire consisting of thirteen multiple-choice questions was distributed among 350 undergraduate dental students in mid-senior and senior levels during lectures at the end of the second semester of 2011, with a response rate of 90.00%. Results About 62.00% of the senior students reported that exposures occurred outside the patient’s mouth. A high percentage of both the mid-senior and senior students (74.70% and 70.70%, respectively) reported that they were exposed to multiple sources of incidents. The vast majority of studied groups stated that they didn’t follow Infection Control Protocol after Incident Exposure. Conclusion The findings of this study confirm that dental students experience exposure incidents but are not likely to report them, thus it is important that the principles of infection control training and reporting of all exposure incidents continue to be emphasized throughout undergraduate dental education. PMID:24421746

  12. Incidence of whooping cough in Spain (1997-2010): an underreported disease.

    PubMed

    Fernández-Cano, María Isabel; Armadans Gil, Lluís; Martínez Gómez, Xavi; Campins Martí, Magda

    2014-06-01

    Whooping cough is currently the worst controlled vaccine-preventable disease in the majority of countries. In order to reduce its morbidity and mortality, it is essential to adapt vaccination programmes to data provided by epidemiological surveillance. A population-based retrospective epidemiological study to estimate the minimum annual undernotification rate of pertussis in Spain from 1997 to 2010 was performed. The incidence of pertussis cases reported to the National Notifiable Disease Surveillance System was compared with the incidence of hospital discharges for pertussis from the National Surveillance System for hospital data, Conjunto Mínimo Básico de Datos. The overall reported incidence and that of hospitalisation for whooping cough were 1.3 cases × 100,000 inhabitants in both cases. Minimum underreporting oscillated between 3.8 and 22.8 %, according to the year of the study. The greatest underreporting (50 %) was observed in children under the age of 1 year. Spanish epidemiological surveillance system of pertussis should be improved with complementary active systems to ascertain the real incidence. Paediatricians and general practitioners should be sensibilized to the importance of notification because this would be essential for adapting the prevention and control measures of this disease.

  13. Elevated incidence rates of diabetes in Peru: report from PERUDIAB, a national urban population-based longitudinal study

    PubMed Central

    Seclen, Segundo Nicolas; Rosas, Moises Ernesto; Arias, Arturo Jaime; Medina, Cecilia Alexandra

    2017-01-01

    Objective A recent report from a non-nationally representative, geographically diverse sample in four separate communities in Peru suggests an unusually high diabetes incidence. We aimed to estimate the national diabetes incidence rate using PERUDIAB, a probabilistic, national urban population-based longitudinal study. Research design and methods 662 subjects without diabetes, selected by multistage, cluster, random sampling of households, representing the 24 administrative and the 3 (coast, highlands and jungle) natural regions across the country, from both sexes, aged 25+ years at baseline, enrolled in 2010–2012, were followed for 3.8 years. New diabetes cases were defined as fasting blood glucose ≥126 mg/dL or on medical diabetes treatment. Results There were 49 cases of diabetes in 2408 person-years follow-up. The weighted cumulative incidence of diabetes was 7.2% while the weighted incidence rate was estimated at 19.5 (95% CI 13.9 to 28.3) new cases per 1000 person-years. Older age, obesity and technical or higher education were statistically associated with the incidence of diabetes. Conclusion Our results confirm that the incidence of diabetes in Peru is among the highest reported globally. The fast economic growth in the last 20 years, high overweight and obesity rates may have triggered this phenomenon. PMID:28878935

  14. Elevated incidence rates of diabetes in Peru: report from PERUDIAB, a national urban population-based longitudinal study.

    PubMed

    Seclen, Segundo Nicolas; Rosas, Moises Ernesto; Arias, Arturo Jaime; Medina, Cecilia Alexandra

    2017-01-01

    A recent report from a non-nationally representative, geographically diverse sample in four separate communities in Peru suggests an unusually high diabetes incidence. We aimed to estimate the national diabetes incidence rate using PERUDIAB, a probabilistic, national urban population-based longitudinal study. 662 subjects without diabetes, selected by multistage, cluster, random sampling of households, representing the 24 administrative and the 3 (coast, highlands and jungle) natural regions across the country, from both sexes, aged 25+ years at baseline, enrolled in 2010-2012, were followed for 3.8 years. New diabetes cases were defined as fasting blood glucose ≥126 mg/dL or on medical diabetes treatment. There were 49 cases of diabetes in 2408 person-years follow-up. The weighted cumulative incidence of diabetes was 7.2% while the weighted incidence rate was estimated at 19.5 (95% CI 13.9 to 28.3) new cases per 1000 person-years. Older age, obesity and technical or higher education were statistically associated with the incidence of diabetes. Our results confirm that the incidence of diabetes in Peru is among the highest reported globally. The fast economic growth in the last 20 years, high overweight and obesity rates may have triggered this phenomenon.

  15. Development of the standards of reporting of neurological disorders (STROND) checklist: a guideline for the reporting of incidence and prevalence studies in neuroepidemiology.

    PubMed

    Bennett, Derrick A; Brayne, Carol; Feigin, Valery L; Barker-Collo, Suzanne; Brainin, Michael; Davis, Daniel; Gallo, Valentina; Jetté, Nathalie; Karch, André; Kurtzke, John F; Lavados, Pablo M; Logroscino, Giancarlo; Nagel, Gabriele; Preux, Pierre-Marie; Rothwell, Peter M; Svenson, Lawrence W

    2015-07-01

    Incidence and prevalence studies of neurological disorders play an important role in assessing the burden of disease and planning services. However, the assessment of disease estimates is hindered by problems in reporting for such studies. Despite a growth in published reports, existing guidelines relate to analytical rather than descriptive epidemiological studies. There are also no user-friendly tools (e.g., checklists) available for authors, editors and peer-reviewers to facilitate best practice in reporting of descriptive epidemiological studies for most neurological disorders. The Standards of Reporting of Neurological Disorders (STROND) is a guideline that consists of recommendations and a checklist to facilitate better reporting of published incidence and prevalence studies of neurological disorders. A review of previously developed guidance was used to produce a list of items required for incidence and prevalence studies in neurology. A three-round Delphi technique was used to identify the 'basic minimum items' important for reporting, as well as some additional 'ideal reporting items'. An e-consultation process was then used in order to gauge opinion by external neuroepidemiological experts on the appropriateness of the items included in the checklist. Of 38 candidate items, 15 items and accompanying recommendations were developed along with a user-friendly checklist. The introduction and use of the STROND checklist should lead to more consistent, transparent and contextualised reporting of descriptive neuroepidemiological studies resulting in more applicable and comparable findings and ultimately support better healthcare decisions.

  16. Development of the Standards of Reporting of Neurological Disorders (STROND) checklist: A guideline for the reporting of incidence and prevalence studies in neuroepidemiology.

    PubMed

    Bennett, Derrick A; Brayne, Carol; Feigin, Valery L; Barker-Collo, Suzanne; Brainin, Michael; Davis, Daniel; Gallo, Valentina; Jetté, Nathalie; Karch, André; Kurtzke, John F; Lavados, Pablo M; Logroscino, Giancarlo; Nagel, Gabriele; Preux, Pierre-Marie; Rothwell, Peter M; Svenson, Lawrence W

    2015-09-01

    Incidence and prevalence studies of neurologic disorders play an important role in assessing the burden of disease and planning services. However, the assessment of disease estimates is hindered by problems in reporting for such studies. Despite a growth in published reports, existing guidelines relate to analytical rather than descriptive epidemiologic studies. There are also no user-friendly tools (e.g., checklists) available for authors, editors, and peer reviewers to facilitate best practice in reporting of descriptive epidemiologic studies for most neurologic disorders. The Standards of Reporting of Neurological Disorders (STROND) is a guideline that consists of recommendations and a checklist to facilitate better reporting of published incidence and prevalence studies of neurologic disorders. A review of previously developed guidance was used to produce a list of items required for incidence and prevalence studies in neurology. A 3-round Delphi technique was used to identify the "basic minimum items" important for reporting, as well as some additional "ideal reporting items." An e-consultation process was then used in order to gauge opinion by external neuroepidemiologic experts on the appropriateness of the items included in the checklist. Of 38 candidate items, 15 items and accompanying recommendations were developed along with a user-friendly checklist. The introduction and use of the STROND checklist should lead to more consistent, transparent, and contextualized reporting of descriptive neuroepidemiologic studies resulting in more applicable and comparable findings and ultimately support better health care decisions. © 2015 American Academy of Neurology.

  17. Evaluating New York City's abortion reporting system: insights for public health data collection systems.

    PubMed

    Toprani, Amita; Madsen, Ann; Das, Tara; Gambatese, Melissa; Greene, Carolyn; Begier, Elizabeth

    2014-01-01

    New York City (NYC) mandates reporting of all abortion procedures. These reports enable tracking of abortion incidence and underpin programs, policy, and research. Since January 2011, the majority of abortion facilities must report electronically. We conducted an evaluation of NYC's abortion reporting system and its transition to electronic reporting. We summarize the evaluation methodology and results and draw lessons relevant to other vital statistics and public health reporting systems. The evaluation followed Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for evaluating public health surveillance systems. We interviewed key stakeholders and conducted a data provider survey. In addition, we compared the system's abortion counts with external estimates and calculated the proportion of missing and invalid values for each variable on the report form. Finally, we assessed the process for changing the report form and estimated system costs. NYC Health Department's Bureau of Vital Statistics. Usefulness, simplicity, flexibility, data quality, acceptability, sensitivity, timeliness, and stability of the abortion reporting system. Ninety-five percent of abortion data providers considered abortion reporting important; 52% requested training regarding the report form. Thirty percent reported problems with electronic biometric fingerprint certification, and 18% reported problems with the electronic system's stability. Estimated system sensitivity was 88%. Of 17 variables, education and ancestry had more than 5% missing values in 2010. Changing the electronic reporting module was costly and time-consuming. System operating costs were estimated at $80 136 to $89 057 annually. The NYC abortion reporting system is sensitive and provides high-quality data, but opportunities for improvement include facilitating biometric certification, increasing electronic platform stability, and conducting ongoing outreach and training for data providers. This evaluation will help data

  18. A Decade of Child-Initiated Family Violence: Comparative Analysis of Child-Parent Violence and Parricide Examining Offender, Victim, and Event Characteristics in a National Sample of Reported Incidents, 1995-2005

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Walsh, Jeffrey A.; Krienert, Jessie L.

    2009-01-01

    This article examines 11 years (1995-2005) of National Incident Based Reporting System data comparing victim, offender, and incident characteristics for two types of child-initiated family violence: child-parent violence (CPV) and parricide. The objective is to better understand the victim-offender relationship for CPV and parricide and to…

  19. Identifying medication error chains from critical incident reports: a new analytic approach.

    PubMed

    Huckels-Baumgart, Saskia; Manser, Tanja

    2014-10-01

    Research into the distribution of medication errors usually focuses on isolated stages within the medication use process. Our study aimed to provide a novel process-oriented approach to medication incident analysis focusing on medication error chains. Our study was conducted across a 900-bed teaching hospital in Switzerland. All reported 1,591 medication errors 2009-2012 were categorized using the Medication Error Index NCC MERP and the WHO Classification for Patient Safety Methodology. In order to identify medication error chains, each reported medication incident was allocated to the relevant stage of the hospital medication use process. Only 25.8% of the reported medication errors were detected before they propagated through the medication use process. The majority of medication errors (74.2%) formed an error chain encompassing two or more stages. The most frequent error chain comprised preparation up to and including medication administration (45.2%). "Non-consideration of documentation/prescribing" during the drug preparation was the most frequent contributor for "wrong dose" during the administration of medication. Medication error chains provide important insights for detecting and stopping medication errors before they reach the patient. Existing and new safety barriers need to be extended to interrupt error chains and to improve patient safety. © 2014, The American College of Clinical Pharmacology.

  20. Critical incidents and mortality reporting in pediatric anesthesia: the Australian experience.

    PubMed

    Ragg, Philip

    2011-07-01

    Since 1960, the collection and analysis of mortality data for anesthesia in Australia has been of significant benefit to practising anesthetists. These figures include pediatric deaths which fortunately have been rare and often inevitable because of severe underlying disease and patient risk factors. The reporting of critical incidents and serious morbidity, on the other hand, has been far less impressive. Only one state in Australia, Victoria, currently has a committee that collects morbidity data and, as this reporting is voluntary, is likely to under-represent the true numbers of critical events. There is no specific pediatric morbidity database in Australia so much of this discussion will be regarding overall anesthesia critical event reporting which includes pediatrics as a subset. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  1. Performance analysis of grazing incidence imaging systems. [X ray telescope aberrations

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Winkler, C. E.; Korsch, D.

    1977-01-01

    An exact expression relating the coordinates of a point on the incident ray, a point of reflection from an arbitrary surface, and a point on the reflected ray is derived. The exact relation is then specialized for the case of grazing incidence, and first order and third order systematic analyses are carried out for a single reflective surface and then for a combination of two surfaces. The third order treatment yields a complete set of primary aberrations for single element and two element systems. The importance of a judicious choice for a coordinate system in showing field curvature to clearly be the predominant aberration for a two element system is discussed. The validity of the theory is verified through comparisons with the exact ray trace results for the case of the telescope.

  2. [The coverage of hepatitis A vaccine among 2-29 year olds and the reporting incidence of hepatitis A in China, 2014].

    PubMed

    Wang, F Z; Zheng, H; Liu, J H; Sun, X J; Miao, N; Shen, L P; Zhang, G M; Cui, F Q

    2016-08-10

    To evaluate the hepatitis A vaccine coverage among 2-29 year olds and the reported incidence rates of hepatitis A, in China. Based on data from the national sero-survey on hepatitis B in 2014, information on hepatitis A vaccine immunization was collected and the coverage of hepatitis A vaccine was analyzed with SAS software (Version 9.4). Incidence data on hepatitis A was also collected from the National Notifiable Disease Reporting System between 2004 and 2014, and analyzed using the micro-software Excel 2007. Totally, data involving 29 058 people aged 2-29 years were available for analysis and the overall hepatitis A vaccine coverage was 44.6%. The younger the age, the higher the coverage appeared. Among the 2-6 year and the 7-14 year olds, rates of hepatitis A vaccine coverage were 91.2% and 76.0% respectively. From 2004 to 2014, the incidence rates of hepatitis A in the whole population were declining, annually. The incidence rates showed continuously declining as 82.5%, 90.6%, 72.1% among children at the age groups of 2-6 years, 7-14 years and in the whole population, from 2007 to 2013. After the inclusion of hepatitis A vaccine into the Expanded Programe on Immunization (EPI), the coverage of hepatitis A vaccine among the 2-6 year olds increased to over 90%, with no obvious difference between the urban and rural areas. Incidence of hepatitis A in the 2-6 year olds showed a more rapid decline than that in the whole population.

  3. 75 FR 68861 - Miscellaneous Amendments to the Federal Railroad Administration's Accident/Incident Reporting...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-11-09

    ... regulations addressing accident/incident reporting in order to clarify ambiguous regulations and to enhance the quality of information available for railroad casualty analysis. In addition, FRA has revised the... (telephone: 202-493- 1381). SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. The FRA Guide and the Companion Guide In addition...

  4. Incident management in Virginia : a state of the practice report : final report.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1991-01-01

    Because of the number of incidents and the magnitude of their consequences, the Virginia Department of transportation made a concerted effort to ensure that incident management became a top priority and spearheaded an effort to start a statewide inci...

  5. Patient involvement in patient safety: Protocol for developing an intervention using patient reports of organisational safety and patient incident reporting.

    PubMed

    Ward, Jane K; McEachan, Rosemary R C; Lawton, Rebecca; Armitage, Gerry; Watt, Ian; Wright, John

    2011-05-27

    Patients have the potential to provide a rich source of information on both organisational aspects of safety and patient safety incidents. This project aims to develop two patient safety interventions to promote organisational learning about safety - a patient measure of organisational safety (PMOS), and a patient incident reporting tool (PIRT) - to help the NHS prevent patient safety incidents by learning more about when and why they occur. To develop the PMOS 1) literature will be reviewed to identify similar measures and key contributory factors to error; 2) four patient focus groups will ascertain practicality and feasibility; 3) 25 patient interviews will elicit approximately 60 items across 10 domains; 4) 10 patient and clinician interviews will test acceptability and understanding. Qualitative data will be analysed using thematic content analysis.To develop the PIRT 1) individual and then combined patient and clinician focus groups will provide guidance for the development of three potential reporting tools; 2) nine wards across three hospital directorates will pilot each of the tools for three months. The best performing tool will be identified from the frequency, volume and quality of reports. The validity of both measures will be tested. 300 patients will be asked to complete the PMOS and PIRT during their stay in hospital. A sub-sample (N = 50) will complete the PMOS again one week later. Health professionals in participating wards will also be asked to complete the AHRQ safety culture questionnaire. Case notes for all patients will be reviewed. The psychometric properties of the PMOS will be assessed and a final valid and reliable version developed. Concurrent validity for the PIRT will be assessed by comparing reported incidents with those identified from case note review and the existing staff reporting scheme. In a subsequent study these tools will be used to provide information to wards/units about their priorities for patient safety. A patient

  6. Evaluation of the effectiveness of ATM messages used during incidents : final report.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2016-01-01

    This project investigated the use of Intelligent Lane Control Signs based Active Traffic Management for : Incident Management on a heavily traveled urban freeway. The subject of the research was the ILCS : system on I-94 westbound in downtown Minneap...

  7. Homicide-Followed-by-Suicide Incidents Involving Child Victims

    PubMed Central

    Logan, Joseph E.; Walsh, Sabrina; Patel, Nimeshkumar; Hall, Jeffrey E.

    2015-01-01

    Objectives To describe homicide-followed-by-suicide incidents involving child victims Methods Using 2003–2009 National Violent Death Reporting System data, we characterized 129 incidents based on victim and perpetrator demographic information, their relationships, the weapons/mechanisms involved, and the perpetrators’ health and stress-related circumstances. Results These incidents accounted for 188 child deaths; 69% were under 11 years old, and 58% were killed with a firearm. Approximately 76% of perpetrators were males, and 75% were parents/caregivers. Eighty-one percent of incidents with paternal perpetrators and 59% with maternal perpetrators were preceded by parental discord. Fifty-two percent of incidents with maternal perpetrators were associated with maternal psychiatric problems. Conclusions Strategies that resolve parental conflicts rationally and facilitate detection and treatment of parental mental conditions might help prevention efforts. PMID:23985234

  8. Incidence of Cardiac Perforation With Conventional and With Leadless Pacemaker Systems: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

    PubMed

    Vamos, Mate; Erath, Julia W; Benz, Alexander P; Bari, Zsolt; Duray, Gabor Z; Hohnloser, Stefan H

    2017-03-01

    Two leadless pacemaker (PM) systems were recently developed to avoid pocket- and lead-related complications. As leadless PMs are implanted with a large delivery catheter, cardiac perforation remains a major safety concern. We aimed to provide a literature review on incidence of cardiac perforation with conventional and with leadless PM systems. A systematic review over the last 25 years for studies reporting data on PM lead perforation was performed. Findings were synthesized descriptively. Where control groups were available, data were meta-analyzed to identify important clinical risk factors. A total of 28 studies comprising 60,744 patients undergoing conventional PM implantation were analyzed. The incidence of lead perforation ranged from 0% to 6.37% (mean 0.82%, weighted mean 0.31%, median of 0.40%). There was no significant difference in perforation risk between atrial and ventricular electrodes (POR 0.72, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.28-1.87, P = 0.50) and between MRI conditional and conventional leads (POR 5.93, 95% CI, 0.72-48.76, P = 0.10). The use of active fixation leads (POR 4.25, 95% CI, 1.00-17.95, P = 0.05) and utilization of DDD versus VVI PM systems (POR 3.50, 95% CI, 1.48-8.28, P < 0.01) were associated with higher rates of perforation. In the 2 leadless PM studies, the incidence of cardiac perforation was 1.52% for each. PM lead perforation rates vary in individual studies with an overall low incidence. Leadless PMs seem to be associated with a slightly higher perforation risk, most likely reflecting a learning curve effect of this novel technology. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  9. 78 FR 77601 - Adjustment of Monetary Threshold for Reporting Rail Equipment Accidents/Incidents for Calendar...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-12-24

    ..., Notice No. 6] RIN 2130-ZA12 Adjustment of Monetary Threshold for Reporting Rail Equipment Accidents... threshold from $9,900 to $10,500 for certain railroad accidents/incidents involving property damage that... reflect cost increases that have occurred since the reporting threshold was last published in November of...

  10. Early hybrid approach and enteral feeding algorithm could reduce the incidence of necrotising enterocolitis in neonates with ductus-dependent systemic circulation.

    PubMed

    Manuri, Lucia; Morelli, Stefano; Agati, Salvatore; Saitta, Michele B; Oreto, Lilia; Mandraffino, Giuseppe; Iannace, Enrico; Iorio, Fiore S; Guccione, Paolo

    2017-01-01

    The reported incidence of necrotising enterocolitis in neonates with complex CHD with ductus-dependent systemic circulation ranges from 6.8 to 13% despite surgical treatment; the overall mortality is between 25 and 97%. The incidence of gastrointestinal complications after hybrid palliation for neonates with ductus-dependent systemic circulation still has to be defined, but seems comparable with that following the Norwood procedure. We reviewed the incidence of gastrointestinal complications in a series of 42 consecutive neonates with ductus-dependent systemic circulation, who received early hybrid palliation associated with a standardised feeding protocol. The median age and birth weight at the time of surgery were 3 days (with a range from 1 to 10 days) and 3.07 kg (with a range from 1.5 to 4.5 kg), respectively. The median ICU length of stay was 7 days (1-70 days), and the median hospital length of stay was 16 days (6-70 days). The median duration of mechanical ventilation was 3 days. Hospital mortality was 16% (7/42). In the postoperative period, 26% of patients were subjected to early extubation, and all of them received treatment with systemic vasodilatory agents. Feeding was started 6 hours after extubation according to a dedicated feeding protocol. After treatment, none of our patients experienced any grade of necrotising enterocolitis or major gastrointestinal adverse events. Our experience indicates that the combination of an "early hybrid approach", systemic vasodilator therapy, and dedicated feeding protocol adherence could reduce the incidence of gastrointestinal complications in this group of neonates. Fast weaning from ventilatory support, which represents a part of our treatment strategy, could be associated with low incidence of necrotising enterocolitis.

  11. Characteristics of bias-based harassment incidents reported by a national sample of U.S. adolescents.

    PubMed

    Jones, Lisa M; Mitchell, Kimberly J; Turner, Heather A; Ybarra, Michele L

    2018-06-01

    Using a national sample of youth from the U.S., this paper examines incidents of bias-based harassment by peers that include language about victims' perceived sexual orientation, race/ethnicity, religion, weight or height, or intelligence. Telephone interviews were conducted with youth who were 10-20 years old (n = 791). One in six youth (17%) reported at least one experience with bias-based harassment in the past year. Bias language was a part of over half (52%) of all harassment incidents experienced by youth. Perpetrators of bias-based harassment were similar demographically to perpetrators of non-biased harassment. However, bias-based incidents were more likely to involve multiple perpetrators, longer timeframes and multiple harassment episodes. Even controlling for these related characteristics, the use of bias language in incidents of peer harassment resulted in significantly greater odds that youth felt sad as a result of the victimization, skipped school, avoided school activities, and lost friends, compared to non-biased harassment incidents. Copyright © 2018 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Computer Simulation for Emergency Incident Management

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Brown, D L

    2004-12-03

    This report describes the findings and recommendations resulting from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Incident Management Simulation Workshop held by the DHS Advanced Scientific Computing Program in May 2004. This workshop brought senior representatives of the emergency response and incident-management communities together with modeling and simulation technologists from Department of Energy laboratories. The workshop provided an opportunity for incident responders to describe the nature and substance of the primary personnel roles in an incident response, to identify current and anticipated roles of modeling and simulation in support of incident response, and to begin a dialog between the incident responsemore » and simulation technology communities that will guide and inform planned modeling and simulation development for incident response. This report provides a summary of the discussions at the workshop as well as a summary of simulation capabilities that are relevant to incident-management training, and recommendations for the use of simulation in both incident management and in incident management training, based on the discussions at the workshop. In addition, the report discusses areas where further research and development will be required to support future needs in this area.« less

  13. Communicating the Improvements Developed from Critical Incident Reports is an Essential Part of CIRS.

    PubMed

    Hubertus, J; Piehlmeier, W; Heinrich, M

    2016-09-01

    The Critical Incident Reporting System (CIRS) is a tool for employees to report anonymously of near misses. Its efficiency and improvement of safety is proved by many studies. Our department introduced CIRS in 2009 and it is used frequently. As the number of reports decreased over time we asked for factors responsible for the reduced use. All employees had access to CIRS and have been trained in several courses of instruction. Accomplished results and consequences were published in biannual newsletters. In 2014 we initiated an anonymous employee attitude survey to ask for their experience and satisfaction with CIRS. 88 near misses were reported since 2009. 44 (50%) reports were classified as RS1, 34 (38.6%) as RS2, and 10 (11.4%) as RS3. No RS4 reports were notified. Most reports concerned problems with administration of medication (n=26; 29.5%) and problems with technical devices (n=18; 20.5%). 75 (83%) of our employees participated in the survey. 64 (86.5%) discerned that CIRS is anonymous. 31 (41.9%) reported already a near miss. Of note, two-third didn't realize an improvement following their report. On the other hand, only half of the pollees stated to read the newsletter. Even if efficiency and advantages of CIRS are proved and undeniable, sufficient and perpetual feedback of results and improvements developed by the CIRS team and regular trainings of the employees are mandatory for the success of CIRS. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  14. Using interrupted time series design to analyze changes in hand, foot, and mouth disease incidence during the declining incidence periods of 2008-2010 in China.

    PubMed

    Yu, Shi Cheng; Hao, Yuan Tao; Zhang, Jing; Xiao, Ge Xin; Liu, Zhuang; Zhu, Qi; Ma, Jia Qi; Wang, Yu

    2012-12-01

    To identify patterns of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) incidence in China during declining incidence periods of 2008, 2009, and 2010. Reported HFMD cases over a period of 25 months were extracted from the National Disease Reporting System (NDRS) and analyzed. An interrupted time series (ITS) technique was used to detect changes in HFMD incidence rates in terms of level and slope between declining incidence periods of the three years. Over 3.58 million HFMD cases younger than 5 years were reported to the NDRS between May 1, 2008, and May 31, 2011. Males comprised 63.4% of the cases. ITS analyses demonstrated a significant increase in incidence rate level (P<0.0001) when comparing the current period with the previous period. There were significant changes in declining slopes when comparing 2010 to 2009, and 2010 to 2008 (all P<0.005), but not 2009 to 2008. Incremental changes in incidence rate level during the declining incidence periods of 2009 and 2010 can potentially be attributed to a few factors. The more steeply declining slope in 2010 compared with previous years could be ascribed to the implementation of more effective interventions and preventive strategies in 2010. Further investigation is required to examine this possibility. Copyright © 2012 The Editorial Board of Biomedical and Environmental Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Documentation and tagging of casualties in multiple casualty incidents.

    PubMed

    Garner, Alan

    2003-01-01

    The use of triage tags is widely advocated as a tool to improve the management of multiple casualty incident scenes. However, there are no published reports to suggest that triage tags have improved the management of incidents involving more than 24 persons, and a number of reports have detailed problems associated with triage tag use. Alternative systems of scene management such as geographical triage have been successfully used in very large incidents, and are recommended as an alternative to triage tags. Documentation cards attached to casualties may be of use in situations where casualties will pass through an extended evacuation chain, and clear labels for deceased casualties are of benefit as they discourage repeat assessments. Adoption of an evidence-based approach to multiple casualty incident scene management will require a paradigm shift in the thinking of ambulance services. A broad-based educational approach that encourages critical reappraisal of existing procedures is recommended.

  16. 2016 Earth System Grid Federation Annual Report

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Williams, Dean N.

    The Earth System Grid Federation (ESGF) experienced a major setback in June 2015, when it experienced a security incident that brought all systems to a halt for more than half a year. However, federation developers and management committee members turned the incident into an opportunity to dramatically upgrade the system security and functionality and to develop planning and policy documents to guide ESGF evolution and success. Moreover, despite the incident, ESGF developer working teams continue to make strong and significant progress on various enhancement projects that will help ensure ESGF can meet the needs of the climate community in themore » coming years.« less

  17. 12 CFR 250.181 - Reports of change in control of bank management incident to a merger.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... 12 Banks and Banking 4 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Reports of change in control of bank management... Reports of change in control of bank management incident to a merger. (a) A State member bank has inquired whether Pub. L. 88-593 (78 Stat. 940) requires reports of change in control of bank management in...

  18. 12 CFR 250.181 - Reports of change in control of bank management incident to a merger.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... 12 Banks and Banking 4 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Reports of change in control of bank management... Reports of change in control of bank management incident to a merger. (a) A State member bank has inquired whether Pub. L. 88-593 (78 Stat. 940) requires reports of change in control of bank management in...

  19. 12 CFR 250.181 - Reports of change in control of bank management incident to a merger.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... 12 Banks and Banking 4 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Reports of change in control of bank management... Reports of change in control of bank management incident to a merger. (a) A State member bank has inquired whether Pub. L. 88-593 (78 Stat. 940) requires reports of change in control of bank management in...

  20. Incident Management: Process into Practice

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Isaac, Gayle; Moore, Brian

    2011-01-01

    Tornados, shootings, fires--these are emergencies that require fast action by school district personnel, but they are not the only incidents that require risk management. The authors have introduced the National Incident Management System (NIMS) and the Incident Command System (ICS) and assured that these systems can help educators plan for and…

  1. Critical incidents during prehospital cardiopulmonary resuscitation: what are the problems nobody wants to talk about?

    PubMed

    Hohenstein, Christian; Rupp, Peter; Fleischmann, Thomas

    2011-02-01

    We wanted to identify incidents that led or could have led to patient harm during prehospital cardiopulmonary resuscitation. A nationwide anonymous and Internet-based critical incident reporting system gave the data. During a 4-year period we received 548 reports of which 74 occurred during cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Human error was responsible for 85% of the incidents, whereas equipment failure contributed to 15% of the reports. Equipment failure was considered to be preventable in 61% of all the cases, whereas incidents because of human error could have been prevented in almost all the cases. In most cases, prevention can be accomplished by simple strategies with the Poka-Yoke technique. Insufficient training of emergency medical service physicians in Germany requires special attention. The critical incident reports raise concerns regarding the level of expertize provided by emergency medical service doctors.

  2. Characteristics of Intimate Partner Violence Incidents and the Environments in Which They Occur: Victim Reports to Responding Law Enforcement Officers.

    PubMed

    Campbell, Andrew M; Hicks, Ralph A; Thompson, Shannon L; Wiehe, Sarah E

    2017-04-01

    The objectives of this study were to identify intimate partner violence (IPV) incidence rates, to quantify specific risks and characteristics of these incidents and the environments in which they occur, to identify how often children are present for or injured during these incidents, and to identify differences in victim reports of IPV to law enforcement officers at the scene of the incident compared with previously published reports of IPV from retropsective, anonymous surveys and domestic violence shelter interviews. Data gathered by responding law enforcement officers at the scene of the IPV incident were used to determine the prevalence of IPV incident characteristics and outcomes. Females aged 20 to 39 years, unmarried adults, and African Americans were disproportionately represented as victims of IPV in this study. IPV incidents were significantly more likely to occur on Saturdays and Sundays and during the months of May through August. Relationship durations for suspect-victim pairs were most often less than 12 months at the time of the incident. Weapon use and/or strangulation was common, occurring in 44% of all incidents. Minors (under age 18 years) were frequently present in the home during the IPV incident or a member of the household (59%). This study provides a unique perspective of IPV by utilizing data collected directly from the scene of the incident by first responders. Previously published characteristics of IPV were confirmed, but this study also brings to light new and critical information concerning this prevalent form of violence. Study findings relating to incidence, seasonality, severity, disproportionately affected populations, and child exposure are discussed.

  3. The role of the emergency medical dispatch centre (EMDC) and prehospital emergency care safety: results from an incident report (IR) system.

    PubMed

    Mortaro, Alberto; Pascu, Diana; Zerman, Tamara; Vallaperta, Enrico; Schönsberg, Alberto; Tardivo, Stefano; Pancheri, Serena; Romano, Gabriele; Moretti, Francesca

    2015-07-01

    The role of the emergency medical dispatch centre (EMDC) is essential to ensure coordinated and safe prehospital care. The aim of this study was to implement an incident report (IR) system in prehospital emergency care management with a view to detecting errors occurring in this setting and guiding the implementation of safety improvement initiatives. An ad hoc IR form for the prehospital setting was developed and implemented within the EMDC of Verona. The form included six phases (from the emergency call to hospital admission) with the relevant list of potential error modes (30 items). This descriptive observational study considered the results from 268 consecutive days between February and November 2010. During the study period, 161 error modes were detected. The majority of these errors occurred in the resource allocation and timing phase (34.2%) and in the dispatch phase (31.0%). Most of the errors were due to human factors (77.6%), and almost half of them were classified as either moderate (27.9%) or severe (19.9%). These results guided the implementation of specific corrective actions, such as the adoption of a more efficient Medical Priority Dispatch System and the development of educational initiatives targeted at both EMDC staff and the population. Despite the intrinsic limits of IR methodology, results suggest how the implementation of an IR system dedicated to the emergency prehospital setting can act as a major driver for the development of a "learning organization" and improve both efficacy and safety of first aid care.

  4. Report: Improvements Needed in CSB’s Identity and Access Management and Incident Response Security Functions

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Report #18-P-0030, October 30, 2017. Weaknesses in the Identity and Access Management and Incident Response metric domains leave the CSB vulnerable to attacks occurring and not being detected in a timely manner.

  5. Measuring the incidence and reporting of violence against women and girls in liberia using the 'neighborhood method'.

    PubMed

    Stark, Lindsay; Warner, Ann; Lehmann, Heidi; Boothby, Neil; Ager, Alastair

    2013-09-23

    This paper reports on the use of a "neighborhood method" to measure the nature and incidence of violence against women and girls in post-conflict Liberia. The study population comprised females in Montserrado and Nimba counties. Study participants were randomly selected for interviews using multi-stage cluster sampling. 30 clusters of households were sampled in each county. Information on incidents of domestic violence and rape within the preceding 18 months was collected with regard to females of all ages in the respondent's household, and those of her four closest neighbors to make up the full sample. Households in the sample contained 7015 females (1687 girls, 4586 women, 742 age missing) in Montserrado and 6632 (2070 girls, 4167 women, 95 age missing) in Nimba. In the previous 18 months 54.1% (CI 53.1-55.1) and 55.8% (CI 54.8-56.8) of females in Montserrado and Nimba respectively were indicated to have experienced non-sexual domestic abuse; 19.4% (CI 18.6-20.2) and 26.0% (CI 25.1-26.9) of females in Montserrado and Nimba respectively to have been raped outside of marriage; and 72.3% (CI 70.7-73.9) and 73.8% (CI 72.0-75.7) of married or separated women in Montserrado and Nimba respectively to have experienced marital rape. Husbands and boyfriends were reported as the perpetrators of the vast majority of reported violence. Strangers were reported to account for less than 2% of the perpetrators of rape in either county. Incidents were most commonly disclosed to other family members or to friends and neighbors, and less often to formal authorities such as the police, court or community leaders. Incidents were approaching fifty times more likely to be reported to police if perpetrated by strangers rather than intimate partners. Violence against women and girls is widespread in the areas studied. Programming needs to address the fact that this violence is primarily occurring in the household, where most incidents go unreported outside the immediate family or social

  6. Falling-incident detection and throughput enhancement in a multi-camera video-surveillance system.

    PubMed

    Shieh, Wann-Yun; Huang, Ju-Chin

    2012-09-01

    For most elderly, unpredictable falling incidents may occur at the corner of stairs or a long corridor due to body frailty. If we delay to rescue a falling elder who is likely fainting, more serious consequent injury may occur. Traditional secure or video surveillance systems need caregivers to monitor a centralized screen continuously, or need an elder to wear sensors to detect falling incidents, which explicitly waste much human power or cause inconvenience for elders. In this paper, we propose an automatic falling-detection algorithm and implement this algorithm in a multi-camera video surveillance system. The algorithm uses each camera to fetch the images from the regions required to be monitored. It then uses a falling-pattern recognition algorithm to determine if a falling incident has occurred. If yes, system will send short messages to someone needs to be noticed. The algorithm has been implemented in a DSP-based hardware acceleration board for functionality proof. Simulation results show that the accuracy of falling detection can achieve at least 90% and the throughput of a four-camera surveillance system can be improved by about 2.1 times. Copyright © 2011 IPEM. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Decision-support information system to manage mass casualty incidents at a level 1 trauma center.

    PubMed

    Bar-El, Yaron; Tzafrir, Sara; Tzipori, Idan; Utitz, Liora; Halberthal, Michael; Beyar, Rafael; Reisner, Shimon

    2013-12-01

    Mass casualty incidents are probably the greatest challenge to a hospital. When such an event occurs, hospitals are required to instantly switch from their routine activity to conditions of great uncertainty and confront needs that exceed resources. We describe an information system that was uniquely designed for managing mass casualty events. The web-based system is activated when a mass casualty event is declared; it displays relevant operating procedures, checklists, and a log book. The system automatically or semiautomatically initiates phone calls and public address announcements. It collects real-time data from computerized clinical and administrative systems in the hospital, and presents them to the managing team in a clear graphic display. It also generates periodic reports and summaries of available or scarce resources that are sent to predefined recipients. When the system was tested in a nationwide exercise, it proved to be an invaluable tool for informed decision making in demanding and overwhelming situations such as mass casualty events.

  8. The complexity of patient safety reporting systems in UK dentistry.

    PubMed

    Renton, T; Master, S

    2016-10-21

    Since the 'Francis Report', UK regulation focusing on patient safety has significantly changed. Healthcare workers are increasingly involved in NHS England patient safety initiatives aimed at improving reporting and learning from patient safety incidents (PSIs). Unfortunately, dentistry remains 'isolated' from these main events and continues to have a poor record for reporting and learning from PSIs and other events, thus limiting improvement of patient safety in dentistry. The reasons for this situation are complex.This paper provides a review of the complexities of the existing systems and procedures in relation to patient safety in dentistry. It highlights the conflicting advice which is available and which further complicates an overly burdensome process. Recommendations are made to address these problems with systems and procedures supporting patient safety development in dentistry.

  9. Incident surveillance in New Jersey career and technical education programs, 1999 to 2008: attributes, severity, and reported use of personal protective equipment.

    PubMed

    Shendell, Derek G; Jhaveri, Mehul; Nowakowski, Alexandra C H; Wozniak, Maryann E; Campbell, Jennifer K; Marshall, Elizabeth G; Kelly, Sarah W

    2010-09-01

    Through school-sponsored career and technical education programs in New Jersey, students work part-time during or after school in paid and unpaid structured learning experiences regulated by the New Jersey Department of Education. Schools submit information on "reportable incidents," injury or illness resulting in physician treatment. Incidents including reported use of personal protective equipment (PPE) were assessed; 1,600 incident reports (1999 to 2008) were received. Attributes such as type and severity, body parts affected, and PPE use for incidents occurring at school among students grades 9 to 12 or labeled as "adults" during school hours (n = 285) were analyzed. Older teens incurred more injuries. PPE use was consistently low across age and gender. Students most frequently experienced knife injuries involving fingers and hands. Results identified potential injury determinants and training and intervention topics such as PPE, and support development of an enhanced reporting form. Copyright 2010, SLACK Incorporated.

  10. Grazing incidence relay optics

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Chase, R. C.; Davis, J. M.; Krieger, A. S.; Underwood, J. H.

    1982-01-01

    The necessity to work in the focal plane of the primary mirrors has been one of the factors limiting the utility of grazing incidence telescopes in X-ray astronomy. In connection with the reported investigation, computer ray tracing programs have been used to study the performance of several grazing incidence relay optics (GIRO) systems used together with a large nested solar X-ray telescope. It was found that GIRO magnifiers are useful to map appropriate sized regions of the sun onto available CCD detectors. GIRO collimators can be used together with an X-ray spectrometer to study the X-ray spectrum from very small regions on the sun. Attention is given to the stationary mode, the tracking mode, and the size of GIRO elements. It is found that for a given GIRO size and magnification a use of the diverging system has the advantage of reducing the overall length of the main telescope-GIRO combination. However, the resolution provided by the diverging GIRO may not be as good as that obtained with the corresponding converging GIRO.

  11. Thermoelectric-Driven Sustainable Sensing and Actuation Systems for Fault-Tolerant Nuclear Incidents

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Longtin, Jon

    2016-02-08

    The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear incident in March 2011 represented an unprecedented stress test on the safety and backup systems of a nuclear power plant. The lack of reliable information from key components due to station blackout was a serious setback, leaving sensing, actuation, and reporting systems unable to communicate, and safety was compromised. Although there were several independent backup power sources for required safety function on site, ultimately the batteries were drained and the systems stopped working. If, however, key system components were instrumented with self-powered sensing and actuation packages that could report indefinitely on the status of the system,more » then critical system information could be obtained while providing core actuation and control during off-normal status for as long as needed. This research project focused on the development of such a self-powered sensing and actuation system. The electrical power is derived from intrinsic heat in the reactor components, which is both reliable and plentiful. The key concept was based around using thermoelectric generators that can be integrated directly onto key nuclear components, including pipes, pump housings, heat exchangers, reactor vessels, and shielding structures, as well as secondary-side components. Thermoelectric generators are solid-state devices capable of converting heat directly into electricity. They are commercially available technology. They are compact, have no moving parts, are silent, and have excellent reliability. The key components to the sensor package include a thermoelectric generator (TEG), microcontroller, signal processing, and a wireless radio package, environmental hardening to survive radiation, flooding, vibration, mechanical shock (explosions), corrosion, and excessive temperature. The energy harvested from the intrinsic heat of reactor components can be then made available to power sensors, provide bi-directional communication, recharge batteries

  12. Accident/incident bulletin : calendar year 1995

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1996-08-01

    Railroads must file monthly accident/incident reports with the Federal Railroad Administrations (FRA) Office of Safety. Bulletin 164 is a summary of accident/incident data reported by 679 railroads for calendar year 1995. The FRA Guide for Prepari...

  13. Accident/incident bulletin : calendar year 1996

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1997-08-01

    Railroads must file monthly accident/incident reports with the Federal Railroad Administrations (FRA) Office of Safety. Bulletin 165 is a summary of accident/incident data reported by 704 railroads for calendar year 1996. There are three basic cat...

  14. Opportunities to Improve Processes for Reporting, Investigating, and Remediating Serious Incidents Involving Private Security Contractors in Iraq

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-04-30

    Iraq Reconstruction,400 Army Navy Drive,Arlington,VA,22202-4704 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER 9. SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S...contractor, Blackwater , that resulted in the death of 17 Iraqi civilians. As a result of the incident, DoD and DoS agreed on core standards...have surfaced over the years concerning the oversight, control, cost, and legal status of PSCs, the Blackwater incident in September 2007, during which

  15. An analysis of nurses' post-incident manual restraint reports.

    PubMed

    Ryan, C J; Bowers, L

    2006-10-01

    Manual restraint techniques are associated with the management of violence in psychiatric settings. Restraint effectiveness and acceptability are under scrutiny, yet the nature and frequency of who or what were involved in restraint episodes have not previously been fully described or understood. The aim of this study was to describe the nature and frequency of manual restraint-related events and their components. This study was carried out using content analyses of nurses' post-incident reports from a psychiatric unit situated within a general hospital, and from its associated medium-secure unit. Requests for restraint occurred at the rate of about once per day, and the majority related to patients' ill-directed frustration, resistance to containment and their desire to leave the ward. Only half of responses to conflicts resulted in restraint implementation. The majority of restraint activities occurred during the afternoon and night. Male patients and detained patients were more frequent participants in restraint interventions. To a lesser extent, police, ambulance, fire services, hospital security, visitors and ex-patients were also involved in restraint episodes. Injuries were rare. In conclusion, training in restraint skills, clinical audit of adverse incidents, and research into psychiatric aggression all need to take into account the association of restraint with the enforcement of detention and treatment of acutely ill patients. The coupling of restraint with medication requires examination of its safety and efficacy. Interagency training may enable the essential services involved to coordinate restraint activities more effectively.

  16. Farm tractors on Swedish public roads--age-related perspectives on police reported incidents and injuries.

    PubMed

    Pinzke, Stefan; Nilsson, Kerstin; Lundqvist, Peter

    2014-01-01

    Agriculture consistently ranks as one of the highest risk industries in North America and Europe. In addition to vehicle injuries and other injuries that occur on farms, farm vehicle drivers are also involved in collisions involving tractors and other slow-moving vehicles (SMVs) on public roads. These collisions often lead to injuries among farmers, family members, farm workers, and other road users. To conduct a demographic analysis of road traffic incidents involving tractors in Sweden during the time period 1992-2009, with special consideration of how incidents vary with driver age. Statistics from 2,305 police reports describing tractor-related road traffic incidents in Sweden in 1992-2009 were analysed with respect to driver age, type of incident, severity of injury, type of road user and other circumstances at the accident site. Tractors of all kinds were involved in 128 road traffic incidents annually, with 7 people killed, 44 seriously injured and 143 suffering minor injuries each year. The annual number of fatalities represented 1.2% of all Swedish road fatalities. Most road traffic incidents with farm tractors involved people aged 25-55 years (mean 45 years). However, most farm tractor drivers killed or injured belonged to younger or older age groups. Drivers aged 12-16 years were over-represented in tractor incidents with no other vehicle involved. Older tractor drivers (> 55 years) were more often involved in incidents with passenger vehicles on entering traffic flows. The youngest tractor drivers aged 12-16 years were more often involved in road traffic incidents during school holidays, and both youngest and oldest drivers (>65 years) during harvest time. Sweden has an ageing fleet of tractors, so increased attention to vehicle maintenance is needed to improve road safety. The over-representation of young children in tractor incidents suggests that it is questionable whether they should be allowed to operate farm vehicles. Farm vehicle drivers

  17. Psychological Trauma in the Workplace: Variation of Incident Severity among Industry Settings and between Recurring vs Isolated Incidents.

    PubMed

    DeFraia, G S

    2015-07-01

    Psychologically traumatic workplace events (known as critical incidents) occur within various work environments, with workgroups in certain industries vulnerable to multiple incidents. With the increasing prevalence of incidents in the USA, incident response is a growing practice area within occupational medicine, industrial psychology, occupational social work and other occupational health professions. To analyze a measure of incident severity based on level of disruption to the workplace and explore whether incident severity varied among different industry settings or between workgroups experiencing multiple vs single traumatic incidents. Administrative data mining was employed to examine practice data from a workplace trauma response unit in the USA. Bivariate analyses were conducted to test whether scores from an instrument measuring incident severity level varied among industry settings or between workgroups impacted by multiple vs isolated events. Incident severity level differed among various industry settings. Banks, retail stores and fast food restaurants accounted for the most severe incidents, while industrial and manufacturing sites reported less severe incidents. Workgroups experiencing multiple incidents reported more severe incidents than workgroups experiencing a single incident. Occupational health practitioners should be alert to industry differences in several areas: pre-incident resiliency training, the content of business recovery plans, assessing worker characteristics, strategies to assist continuous operations and assisting workgroups impacted by multiple or severe incidents.

  18. Piloting violence and incident reporting measures on one acute mental health inpatient unit.

    PubMed

    Woods, Phil; Ashley, Carolyn; Kayto, Denise; Heusdens, Carol

    2008-05-01

    During May, 2006, on one acute mental health inpatient unit, nursing staff evaluated each patient three times a day (i.e., once each nursing shift) using the Broset Violence Checklist (BVC). Associated data were collected using the Staff Observation and Aggression Scale-Revised (SOAS-R) if an adverse incident occurred. At the end of the data collection period, the nursing staff were asked to complete a short questionnaire anonymously to evaluate how useful they had found the instruments. N = 93 patients were admitted to the unit during the month of study. Seven incidents were reported using the SOAS-R. A slight trend was noted for higher BVC score in aggressive patients. A potential high occurrence of underreporting on incidents was observed. There was limited feedback data from nursing staff at the end of the study, but the responses received were encouraging for continued use of the instruments in practice. The pilot study fulfilled its purpose in two ways. First, it allowed staff on the unit to experience using structured instruments to support their practice. Second, it allowed an opportunity to raise awareness of potential underreporting and tolerance of aggression on the unit.

  19. Comparative analysis of hydrogen fire and explosion incidents: quarterly report No. 2, December 1, 1977--February 28, 1978

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Zalosh, R.G.; Short, T.P.

    1978-03-01

    Additional hydrogen incident reports compiled during this quarter have increased the size of the computerized data base to a current total of 280 incidents. Listings of 165 incidents that have occurred in industrial and transportation operations since 1968 are presented here. Sample case histories in six different cause categories are provided together with a discussion of common safety problems contributing to these incidents. Some of these problems are inadequate detection measures for hydrogen leaks and fires and ineffective purging with inert gas. A preliminary comparison of losses due to natural gas fires/explosions and hydrogen incidents indicates that hydrogen explosions havemore » been, on the average, four-to-six times as damaging as natural gas explosions. Some tentative explanations for this result are presented but await confirmation from a more sophisticated statistical analysis.« less

  20. Increasing incidence of Rocky Mountain spotted fever among the American Indian population in the United States.

    PubMed

    Holman, Robert C; McQuiston, Jennifer H; Haberling, Dana L; Cheek, James E

    2009-04-01

    To examine trends of Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) incidence among American Indians compared with other race groups, a retrospective analysis of national RMSF surveillance data reported to the National Electronic Telecommunications System for Surveillance and the Tickborne Rickettsial Disease Case Report Forms system were used. The RMSF incidence for American Indians, which was comparable to those for other race groups during 1990-2000, increased at a disproportionate rate during 2001-2005. The average annual incidence of RMSF reported among American Indians for 2001-2005 was 16.8 per 1,000,000 persons compared with 4.2, 2.6, and 0.5 for white, black, and Asian/Pacific Islander persons, respectively. Most cases in American Indians were reported from Oklahoma (113.1 cases per 1,000,000), North Carolina (60.0), and Arizona (17.2). The incidence of RMSF increased dramatically among American Indians disproportionately to trends for other race groups. Education about tick-borne disease and prevention measures should be addressed for high-risk American Indian populations.

  1. 12 CFR 250.181 - Reports of change in control of bank management incident to a merger.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... 12 Banks and Banking 3 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Reports of change in control of bank management... change in control of bank management incident to a merger. (a) A State member bank has inquired whether Pub. L. 88-593 (78 Stat. 940) requires reports of change in control of bank management in situations...

  2. 12 CFR 250.181 - Reports of change in control of bank management incident to a merger.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 12 Banks and Banking 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Reports of change in control of bank management... change in control of bank management incident to a merger. (a) A State member bank has inquired whether Pub. L. 88-593 (78 Stat. 940) requires reports of change in control of bank management in situations...

  3. [Incidence study of listeriosis in Spain].

    PubMed

    Valero, Fernando Parrilla; Rafart, Josep Vaqué

    2014-01-01

    We performed a descriptive retrospective study of cases of listeriosis occurring in Spain from 2001 to 2007 to determine the burden and trend of this disease in our setting. Several sources of information were used. Epidemiological information was collected from 1.242 cases of listeriosis, representing a mean incidence rate of 0,56 cases per 100.000 inhabitants per year, which was extrapolated as an overall estimate for Spain. The annual incidence showed a statistically significant increasing trend (p <0,001) over the study period. This figure was higher than that reported in Spain (0,16) by the Microbiological Information System, which is voluntary, showing that underreporting exists. The inclusion of listeriosis in the Mandatory Notification System would allow determination of the distribution and characteristics of this infection in humans, as well as promotion of effective prevention and control. Copyright © 2013 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

  4. Characteristics of hazardous material spills from reporting systems in California.

    PubMed Central

    Shaw, G M; Windham, G C; Leonard, A; Neutra, R R

    1986-01-01

    Data on hazardous material releases that occurred between January 1, 1982 and September 30, 1983 in California were obtained from the California Highway Patrol (CHP) and the US Department of Transportation (DOT). The majority of incidents involved highway transport of hazardous materials, although some information was available on air, rail, and stationary facility releases. Vehicle accidents and failure of or damage to the container were the most frequent causes of releases. Proportionately more hazardous materials incidents occurred in early summer than at other times of the year, during weekdays, and daytime hours. The largest proportions of incidents involved the chemical categories of corrosives and fuels. Reported exposures and injuries to response personnel and other people at the scene were relatively few; no fatalities were reported. Few incidents were reported in both data sources, suggesting that the examination of only one data source would yield a gross underestimate of the total number of hazardous materials incidents in California. The lack of available denominator data limits the interpretation of the findings. Images FIGURE 1 FIGURE 2 FIGURE 3 PMID:3963282

  5. Pesticide exposure and self-reported incident depression among wives in the Agricultural Health Study.

    PubMed

    Beard, John D; Hoppin, Jane A; Richards, Marie; Alavanja, Michael C R; Blair, Aaron; Sandler, Dale P; Kamel, Freya

    2013-10-01

    Depression in women is a public health problem. Studies have reported positive associations between pesticides and depression, but few studies were prospective or presented results for women separately. We evaluated associations between pesticide exposure and incident depression among farmers' wives in the Agricultural Health Study, a prospective cohort study in Iowa and North Carolina. We used data on 16,893 wives who did not report physician-diagnosed depression at enrollment (1993-1997) and who completed a follow-up telephone interview (2005-2010). Among these wives, 1054 reported physician diagnoses of depression at follow-up. We collected information on potential confounders and on ever use of any pesticide, 11 functional and chemical classes of pesticides, and 50 specific pesticides by wives and their husbands via self-administered questionnaires at enrollment. We used inverse probability weighting to adjust for potential confounders and to account for possible selection bias induced by the death or loss of 10,639 wives during follow-up. We used log-binomial regression models to estimate risk ratios and 95% confidence intervals. After weighting for age at enrollment, state of residence, education level, diabetes diagnosis, and drop out, wives' incident depression was positively associated with diagnosed pesticide poisoning, but was not associated with ever using any pesticide. Use of individual pesticides or functional or chemical classes of pesticides was generally not associated with wives' depression. Among wives who never used pesticides, husbands' ever use of individual pesticides or functional or chemical classes of pesticides was generally not associated with wives' incident depression. Our study adds further evidence that high level pesticide exposure, such as pesticide poisoning, is associated with increased risk of depression and sets a lower bound on the level of exposure related to depression, thereby providing reassurance that the moderate levels

  6. The comparative incidence of reported concussions presenting for follow-up management in South African Rugby Union.

    PubMed

    Shuttleworth-Edwards, Ann B; Noakes, Timothy D; Radloff, Sarah E; Whitefield, Victoria J; Clark, Susan B; Roberts, Craig O; Essack, Fathima B; Zoccola, Diana; Boulind, Melissa J; Case, Stephanie E; Smith, Ian P; Mitchell, Julia L G

    2008-09-01

    The objective of this study was to compare the seasonal concussion incidence for school, university, club and provincial level Rugby Union players in South Africa. The study presents a retrospective statistical analysis of the number of reported concussions documented annually for groups of Rugby Union players as a proportion of those who received preseason neurocognitive assessment. Between 2002 and 2006, concussion management programs using computerized neuropsychological assessment were implemented for clinical and research purposes by psychologists in selected South African institutions involved in Rugby Union from school through to the professional level. The incidence figures were based on 175 concussive episodes reported for 165 athletes who were referred for neurocognitive assessment from a population of 1366 athletes who received preseason baseline testing. Concussion management routines varied according to the protocols adopted by the different psychologists and rugby organizations. It was expected that the incidence of concussion would vary significantly due to level of play and different management protocols. There was wide disparity in the manner in which concussion follow-up was managed by the various organizations. Within broadly comparable cohorts, tighter control was associated with a relatively higher concussion incidence for athletes per rugby playing season, with average institutional figures ranging from 4% to 14% at school level and 3% to 23% at adult level. This analysis suggests that concussion goes unrecognized and therefore incorrectly managed in a number of instances. Recommendations for optimal identification of concussed athletes for follow-up management are presented.

  7. Common Causes of Pesticide Incidents

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    There are many types of pesticide incidents. EPA staff analyze pesticide incident reports involving people (including children and farm workers), pets, domestic animals, wildlife including bees and other pollinators, and the environment.

  8. Mapping the residual incidence of taeniasis and cysticercosis in Colombia, 2009-2013, using geographical information systems: Implications for public health and travel medicine.

    PubMed

    Rodríguez-Morales, Alfonso J; Yepes-Echeverri, María Camila; Acevedo-Mendoza, Wilmer F; Marín-Rincón, Hamilton A; Culquichicón, Carlos; Parra-Valencia, Esteban; Cardona-Ospina, Jaime A; Flisser, Ana

    In Colombia, taeniasis and cysticercosis have been significantly reduced over the past decades, however still reported with implications for public health and travel medicine. An observational, retrospective study, in which the incidence of taeniasis and cysticercosis (ICD-10 codes B68s/B69s) in Colombia, 2009-2013, was estimated based on data extracted from the Individual Health Records System (Registro Individual de Prestación de Servicios, RIPS) was performed. The Geographic Information System (GIS) generated national maps showing the distribution of taeniasis and cysticercosis by department by year. During the period, 3626 cases were reported (median 796/year), for a cumulative crude national rate of 7.7 cases/100,000pop; 58.2% corresponded to male; 57% were <40 year-old (10.2% < 9.9 year-old). Cases were 57.6% neurocysticercosis, the rest were taeniasis due to T. solium, T. saginata, ocular cysticercosis and cysticerci in other organs. Bolivar, a touristic department, had the highest cumulated incidence rate (16.17 cases/100,000pop), as also evident across the map series developed in this study. Despite the limitations of this study, data presented provide recent estimates of national taeniasis and cysticercosis incidence in the country useful in public health and for travel medicine practitioners, as some highly touristic areas presented higher disease incidence. Improved control, particularly of taeniasis, should be an attainable goal, which among other strategies would require improved sanitation and health education to prevent transmission, but also enhanced surveillance. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. 14 CFR 234.13 - Reports by air carriers on incidents involving animals during air transport.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 14 Aeronautics and Space 4 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Reports by air carriers on incidents involving animals during air transport. 234.13 Section 234.13 Aeronautics and Space OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (AVIATION PROCEEDINGS) ECONOMIC REGULATIONS AIRLINE SERVICE QUALITY PERFORMANCE...

  10. Characteristics of Incidents and their Reporters: Quality Education Program Study. Booklet C and Booklet C Supplement.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bucks County Public Schools, Doylestown, PA.

    Summary descriptions of the samples of teachers who participated in different project activities are given. In addition, descriptions of reporters of incidents in each student behavior category are outlined. (See TM 001 375 for project description.) (MS)

  11. Reporting Crime Victimizations to the Police and the Incidence of Future Victimizations: A Longitudinal Study.

    PubMed

    Ranapurwala, Shabbar I; Berg, Mark T; Casteel, Carri

    2016-01-01

    Law enforcement depends on cooperation from the public and crime victims to protect citizens and maintain public safety; however, many crimes are not reported to police because of fear of repercussions or because the crime is considered trivial. It is unclear how police reporting affects the incidence of future victimization. To evaluate the association between reporting victimization to police and incident future victimization. We conducted a retrospective cohort study using National Crime Victimization Survey 2008-2012 data. Participants were 12+ years old household members who may or may not be victimized, were followed biannually for 3 years, and who completed at least one follow-up survey after their first reported victimization between 2008 and 2012. Crude and adjusted generalized linear mixed regression for survey data with Poisson link were used to compare rates of future victimization. Out of 18,657 eligible participants, 41% participants reported to their initial victimization to police and had a future victimization rate of 42.8/100 person-years (PY) (95% CI: 40.7, 44.8). The future victimization rate of those who did not report to the police (59%) was 55.0/100 PY (95% CI: 53.0, 57.0). The adjusted rate ratio comparing police reporting to not reporting was 0.78 (95%CI: 0.72, 0.84) for all future victimizations, 0.80 (95% CI: 0.72, 0.90) for interpersonal violence, 0.73 (95% CI: 0.68, 0.78) for thefts, and 0.95 (95% CI: 0.84, 1.07) for burglaries. Reporting victimization to police is associated with fewer future victimization, underscoring the importance of police reporting in crime prevention. This association may be attributed to police action and victim services provisions resulting from reporting.

  12. Reporting Crime Victimizations to the Police and the Incidence of Future Victimizations: A Longitudinal Study

    PubMed Central

    Ranapurwala, Shabbar I.; Berg, Mark T.; Casteel, Carri

    2016-01-01

    Background Law enforcement depends on cooperation from the public and crime victims to protect citizens and maintain public safety; however, many crimes are not reported to police because of fear of repercussions or because the crime is considered trivial. It is unclear how police reporting affects the incidence of future victimization. Objective To evaluate the association between reporting victimization to police and incident future victimization. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study using National Crime Victimization Survey 2008–2012 data. Participants were 12+ years old household members who may or may not be victimized, were followed biannually for 3 years, and who completed at least one follow-up survey after their first reported victimization between 2008 and 2012. Crude and adjusted generalized linear mixed regression for survey data with Poisson link were used to compare rates of future victimization. Results Out of 18,657 eligible participants, 41% participants reported to their initial victimization to police and had a future victimization rate of 42.8/100 person-years (PY) (95% CI: 40.7, 44.8). The future victimization rate of those who did not report to the police (59%) was 55.0/100 PY (95% CI: 53.0, 57.0). The adjusted rate ratio comparing police reporting to not reporting was 0.78 (95%CI: 0.72, 0.84) for all future victimizations, 0.80 (95% CI: 0.72, 0.90) for interpersonal violence, 0.73 (95% CI: 0.68, 0.78) for thefts, and 0.95 (95% CI: 0.84, 1.07) for burglaries. Conclusions Reporting victimization to police is associated with fewer future victimization, underscoring the importance of police reporting in crime prevention. This association may be attributed to police action and victim services provisions resulting from reporting. PMID:27466811

  13. [Report of Cancer Incidence and Mortality in China, 2014].

    PubMed

    Chen, W Q; Li, H; Sun, K X; Zheng, R S; Zhang, S W; Zeng, H M; Zou, X N; Gu, X Y; He, J

    2018-01-23

    Objective: The registration data of local cancer registries in 2014 were collected by National Central Cancer Registry (NCCR)in 2017 to estimate the cancer incidence and mortality in China. Methods: The data submitted from 449 registries were checked and evaluated, and the data of 339 registries out of them were qualified and selected for the final analysis. Cancer incidence and mortality were stratified by area, gender, age group and cancer type, and combined with the population data of 2014 to estimate cancer incidence and mortality in China. The age composition of standard population of Chinese census in 2000 and Segi's population were used for age-standardized incidence and mortality in China and worldwide, respectively. Results: Total covered population of 339 cancer registries (129 in urban and 210 in rural) in 2014 were 288 243 347 (144 061 915 in urban and 144 181 432 in rural areas). The mortality verified cases (MV%) were 68.01%. Among them, 2.19% cases were identified through death certifications only (DCO%), and the mortality to incidence ratio was 0.61. There were about 3, 804, 000 new cases diagnosed as malignant cancer and 2, 296, 000 cases dead in 2014 in the whole country. The incidence rate was 278.07/100, 000 (males 301.67/100, 000, females 253.29/100, 000) in China, age-standardized incidence rates by Chinese standard population (ASIRC) and by world standard population were 190.63/100, 000 and 186.53/100, 000, respectively, and the cumulative incidence rate (0-74 age years old) was 21.58%. The cancer incidence and ASIRC in urban areas were 302.13/100, 000 and 196.58/100, 000, respectively, whereas in rural areas, those were 248.94/100, 000 and 182.64/100, 000, respectively. The cancer mortality in China was 167.89/100, 000 (207.24/100, 000 in males and 126.54/100, 000 in females), age-standardized mortality rates by Chinese standard population (ASMRC) and by world standard population were 106.98/100, 000 and 106.09/100, 000, respectively. And

  14. Enhancing DSN Operations Efficiency with the Discrepancy Reporting Management System (DRMS)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Chatillon, Mark; Lin, James; Cooper, Tonja M.

    2003-01-01

    The DRMS is the Discrepancy Reporting Management System used by the Deep Space Network (DSN). It uses a web interface and is a management tool designed to track and manage: data outage incidents during spacecraft tracks against equipment and software known as DRs (discrepancy Reports), to record "out of pass" incident logs against equipment and software in a Station Log, to record instances where equipment has be restarted or reset as Reset records, and to electronically record equipment readiness status across the DSN. Tracking and managing these items increases DSN operational efficiency by providing: the ability to establish the operational history of equipment items, data on the quality of service provided to the DSN customers, the ability to measure service performance, early insight into processes, procedures and interfaces that may need updating or changing, and the capability to trace a data outage to a software or hardware change. The items listed above help the DSN to focus resources on areas of most need.

  15. Change in Reported Lyme Disease Incidence in the Northeast and Upper Midwest, 1991-2014

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    This indicator shows how reported Lyme disease incidence has changed by state since 1991, based on the number of new cases per 100,000 people. The total change has been estimated from the average annual rate of change in each state. This map is limited to the 14 states where Lyme disease is most common, where annual rates are consistently above 10 cases per 100,000. Connecticut, New York, and Rhode Island had too much year-to-year variation in reporting practices to allow trend calculation. For more information: www.epa.gov/climatechange/science/indicators

  16. The Incidence of Primary Systemic Vasculitis in Jerusalem: A 20-year Hospital-based Retrospective Study.

    PubMed

    Nesher, Gideon; Ben-Chetrit, Eli; Mazal, Bracha; Breuer, Gabriel S

    2016-06-01

    The incidence of primary systemic vasculitides varies among different geographic regions and ethnic origins. The aim of this study was to examine the incidence rates of vasculitides in the Jerusalem Jewish population, and to examine possible trends in incidence rates over a 20-year period. The clinical databases of inpatients at the 2 medical centers in Jerusalem were searched for patients with vasculitis diagnosed between 1990-2009. Individual records were then reviewed by one of the authors. The significance of trends in incidence rates throughout the study period was evaluated by Pearson correlation coefficient. The average annual incidence rate of polyarteritis nodosa was 3.6/million adults (95% CI 1.6-4.7). Incidence rates did not change significantly during this period (r = 0.39, p = 0.088). The incidence of granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) was 4.1 (2.2-5.9) for the whole period, during which it increased significantly (r = 0.53, p < 0.05). The incidence of microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) was lower: 2.3 (1.2-3.5)/million. It also increased significantly (r = 0.55, p < 0.05). The incidence of eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis was 1.2 (0.4-1.9), which remained stable throughout the study period. The incidence of Takayasu arteritis was 2.1/million (95% CI 1.2-2.9), and it also remained stable. Giant cell arteritis (GCA) incidence was 8.1 (5.7-10.6)/100,000 population aged 50 years or older. In sharp contrast with other vasculitides, its incidence decreased significantly throughout the study period (r = -0.61, p < 0.01). The incidence rates of vasculitides in the Jewish population of Jerusalem are in the lower range of global incidence rates. While GPA and MPA incidence are increasing, GCA incidence is decreasing.

  17. Incidence of Self-Reported Interpersonal Violence Related Physical Injury in Iran

    PubMed Central

    Salamati, Payman; Rahimi-Movaghar, Afarin; Motevalian, Seyed Abbas; Amin-Esmaeili, Masoumeh; Sharifi, Vandad; Hajebi, Ahmad; Rad Goodarzi, Reza; Hefazi, Mitra; Naji, Zohrehsadat; Saadat, Soheil; Rahimi-Movaghar, Vafa

    2015-01-01

    Background: Violence is the cause of death for 1.5 million people in a year. Objectives: Our study aimed to estimate the incidence rate of self-reported interpersonal violence related physical injury (VRPI) and its associated factors in Iran. Patients and Methods: The sample included people ranged from 15 to 64 years old who were residing in Iran. A total of 1525 clusters were selected from the whole country. Six families were selected from each cluster via a systematic random sampling method. Then, the residential units were identified and the interviewers contacted the inhabitants. In the next step, one of the family members was selected by using Kish grid method. The instrument was a researcher-made questionnaire and consisted of two sections; demographics and project related data. Face validity and content validity of our questionnaire were investigated based on expert opinions and the reliability was confirmed by a pilot study, as well. The inclusion criteria were considered for choosing the interviewers. An interviewer was assigned for each 42 participants (7 clusters). An educational seminar was held for the administrative managers (54 persons) and interviewers (230 persons) for a week. The field work was distributed among all 46 Medical Sciences universities in Iran. In each university, administrative issues were related to an executive director. Mann-Whitney U test and odds ratio were used to analyze the data with 95% confidence interval. α value was considered less than 5%. Results: The frequency of VRPI among 7886 participants was 24 during the last three months. The incidence rate of interpersonal VRPI was estimated at 3.04 per 1000 population (95% CI: 2.66-3.42) during a three-month interval in Iran. The incidence was 4.72 per 1000 population (95% CI: 4.01-5.43) for males and 1.78 per 1000 population (95% CI: 1.39-2.17) for females during a three-month interval. The mean (SD) of age of the participants with and without a history of VRPI were 26.5 (7

  18. Incidence of tuberculous meningitis in France, 2000: a capture-recapture analysis.

    PubMed

    Cailhol, J; Che, D; Jarlier, V; Decludt, B; Robert, J

    2005-07-01

    To estimate the incidence of culture-positive and culture-negative tuberculous meningitis (TBM) in France in 2000. Capture-recapture method using two unrelated sources of data: the tuberculosis (TB) mandatory notification system (MNTB), recording patients treated by anti-tuberculosis drugs, and a survey by the National Reference Centre (NRC) for mycobacterial drug resistance, recording culture-positive TBM. Of 112 cases of TBM reported to the MNTB, 28 culture-positive and 34 culture-negative meningitis cases were validated (17 duplicates, 3 cases from outside France, 21 false notifications, and 9 lost records were excluded). The NRC recorded 31 culture-positive cases, including 21 known by the MNTB. When the capture-recapture method was applied to the reported culture-positive meningitis cases, the estimated number of meningitis cases was 41 and the incidence was 0.7 cases per million. Sensitivity was 75.6% for the NRC, 68.3% for the MNTB, and 92.7% for both systems together. When sensitivity of the MNTB for culture-positive cases was applied to culture-negative meningitis, the total estimated number of culture-negative meningitis cases was 50 and the incidence was 0.85 cases per million. TBM is underestimated in France. Capture-recapture analysis using different sources to better estimate its incidence is of great interest.

  19. Major incidents in Kenya: the case for emergency services development and training.

    PubMed

    Wachira, Benjamin W; Smith, Wayne

    2013-04-01

    Kenya's major incidents profile is dominated by droughts, floods, fires, terrorism, poisoning, collapsed buildings, accidents in the transport sector and disease/epidemics. With no integrated emergency services and a lack of resources, many incidents in Kenya escalate to such an extent that they become major incidents. Lack of specific training of emergency services personnel to respond to major incidents, poor coordination of major incident management activities, and a lack of standard operational procedures and emergency operation plans have all been shown to expose victims to increased morbidity and mortality. This report provides a review of some of the major incidents in Kenya for the period 2000-2012, with the hope of highlighting the importance of developing an integrated and well-trained Ambulance and Fire and Rescue service appropriate for the local health care system.

  20. Human factors in aircraft incidents - Results of a 7-year study (Andre Allard Memorial Lecture)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Billings, C. E.; Reynard, W. D.

    1984-01-01

    It is pointed out that nearly all fatal aircraft accidents are preventable, and that most such accidents are due to human error. The present discussion is concerned with the results of a seven-year study of the data collected by the NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS). The Aviation Safety Reporting System was designed to stimulate as large a flow as possible of information regarding errors and operational problems in the conduct of air operations. It was implemented in April, 1976. In the following 7.5 years, 35,000 reports have been received from pilots, controllers, and the armed forces. Human errors are found in more than 80 percent of these reports. Attention is given to the types of events reported, possible causal factors in incidents, the relationship of incidents and accidents, and sources of error in the data. ASRS reports include sufficient detail to permit authorities to institute changes in the national aviation system designed to minimize the likelihood of human error, and to insulate the system against the effects of errors.

  1. Implications from Under-reporting at Lifetime, Death Certificate Notifications and Trace-back on the Recorded Incidence of a "Newly" Established Population-based Cancer Registry.

    PubMed

    Holleczek, B; Brenner, H

    2016-01-01

    Population-based cancer registries (CRs) are powerful tools for measuring cancer burden and progress against cancer. The study's objective was to investigate the effects of under-reporting at lifetime, death certificate notifications, and trace-back on the incidence a newly established population-based CR may record during its initial 15 years of operation. Using cancer data of nine CRs of the SEER programme we performed model calculations to investigate temporal trends of the recorded incidence that might be expected if registration started in 1995 with gradually increasing proportions of cancers reported to the CR. It was assumed that the CR obtains all death certificates providing cancer as the underlying cause of death. Different scenarios with regard to the development of the proportions of cancers reported to the CR and the use of trace-back were evaluated. Our model calculations demonstrated that the inclusion of cancers notified from death certificates which were diagnosed prior to the start of registration and which attribute to the incidence estimates of the year of death ('prevalent' cases) may compensate under-reporting typically observed right after the start of a CR. The recorded incidence may even be overestimated during the first years of registration, if large amounts of prevalent cancers are notified from death certificates (e.g. overestimation of lung cancer incidence by 8% and 21% in the first year of registration, if the proportions of cases reported were 50% and 70% in that year, overestimation of myeloma incidence still exceeding 5% after eight years of registration, if the proportion of cases reported to the CR had reached 97.5% after six years). Trace-back may effectively reduce the recorded surplus cancer cases. During the initial years of registration, the inclusion of prevalent cancers from death certificates may compensate the higher amount of underreporting right after the start of a CR. Accurate incidence estimates may nevertheless be

  2. Using Critical Incident Reporting to Promote Objectivity and Self-Knowledge in Pre-Service School Psychologists

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Griffin, Maureen L.; Scherr, Tracey G.

    2010-01-01

    This longitudinal project consisted of exploring the usefulness of Critical Incident Reporting (CIR) as an instructional tool (Griffin, 2003) to first increase objectivity and self-knowledge among practicum students and then to guide practices when those students became interns the following academic year. Analysis included 120 CIRs written by 15…

  3. Estimating the Burden of Disease Associated with Outbreaks Reported to the U.S. Waterborne Disease Outbreak Surveillance System: Identifying Limitations and Improvements (Final Report)

    EPA Science Inventory

    This report demonstrates how data from the Waterborne Disease Outbreak Surveillance System (WBDOSS) can be used to estimate disease burden and presents results using 30 years of data. This systematic analysis does not attempt to provide an estimate of the actual incidence and b...

  4. Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) in complex systems: cultural adaptation and safety impacts in healthcare.

    PubMed

    Müller-Leonhardt, Alice; Mitchell, Shannon G; Vogt, Joachim; Schürmann, Tim

    2014-07-01

    In complex systems, such as hospitals or air traffic control operations, critical incidents (CIs) are unavoidable. These incidents can not only become critical for victims but also for professionals working at the "sharp end" who may have to deal with critical incident stress (CIS) reactions that may be severe and impede emotional, physical, cognitive and social functioning. These CIS reactions may occur not only under exceptional conditions but also during every-day work and become an important safety issue. In contrast to air traffic management (ATM) operations in Europe, which have readily adopted critical incident stress management (CISM), most hospitals have not yet implemented comprehensive peer support programs. This survey was conducted in 2010 at the only European general hospital setting which implemented CISM program since 2004. The aim of the article is to describe possible contribution of CISM in hospital settings framed from the perspective of organizational safety and individual health for healthcare professionals. Findings affirm that daily work related incidents also can become critical for healthcare professionals. Program efficiency appears to be influenced by the professional culture, as well as organizational structure and policies. Overall, findings demonstrate that the adaptation of the CISM program in general hospitals takes time but, once established, it may serve as a mechanism for changing professional culture, thereby permitting the framing of even small incidents or near misses as an opportunity to provide valuable feedback to the system. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Childhood cancer incidence patterns by race, sex and age for 2000-2006: a report from the South African National Cancer Registry.

    PubMed

    Erdmann, Friederike; Kielkowski, Danuta; Schonfeld, Sara J; Kellett, Patricia; Stanulla, Martin; Dickens, Caroline; Kaatsch, Peter; Singh, Elvira; Schüz, Joachim

    2015-06-01

    Higher childhood cancer incidence rates are generally reported for high income countries although high quality information on descriptive patterns of childhood cancer incidence for low or middle income countries is limited, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. There is a need to quantify global differences by cancer types, and to investigate whether they reflect true incidence differences or can be attributed to under-diagnosis or under-reporting. For the first time, we describe childhood cancer data reported to the pathology report-based National Cancer Registry of South Africa in 2000-2006 and compare our results to incidence data from Germany, a high income country. The overall age-standardized incidence rate (ASR) for South Africa in 2000-2006 was 45.7 per million children. We observed substantial differences by cancer types within South Africa by racial group; ASRs tended to be 3-4-fold higher in South African Whites compared to Blacks. ASRs among both Black and White South Africans were generally lower than those from Germany with the greatest differences observed between the Black population in South Africa and Germany, although there was marked variation between cancer types. Age-specific rates were particularly low comparing South African Whites and Blacks with German infants. Overall, patterns across South African population groups and in comparison to Germans were similar for boys and girls. Genetic and environmental reasons may probably explain rather a small proportion of the observed differences. More research is needed to understand the extent to which under-ascertainment and under-diagnosis of childhood cancers drives differences in observed rates. © 2014 UICC.

  6. Mapping the residual incidence of taeniasis and cysticercosis in Colombia, 2009–2013, using geographical information systems: Implications for public health and travel medicine☆

    PubMed Central

    Rodríguez-Morales, Alfonso J.; Yepes-Echeverri, María Camila; Acevedo-Mendoza, Wilmer F.; Marín-Rincón, Hamilton A.; Culquichicón, Carlos; Parra-Valencia, Esteban; Cardona-Ospina, Jaime A.; Flisser, Ana

    2018-01-01

    Background In Colombia, taeniasis and cysticercosis have been significantly reduced over the past decades, however still reported with implications for public health and travel medicine. Methods An observational, retrospective study, in which the incidence of taeniasis and cysticercosis (ICD-10 codes B68s/B69s) in Colombia, 2009–2013, was estimated based on data extracted from the Individual Health Records System (Registro Individual de Prestación de Servicios, RIPS) was performed. The Geographic Information System (GIS) generated national maps showing the distribution of taeniasis and cysticercosis by department by year. Results During the period, 3626 cases were reported (median 796/year), for a cumulative crude national rate of 7.7 cases/100,000pop; 58.2% corresponded to male; 57% were < 40 year-old (10.2% < 9.9 year-old). Cases were 57.6% neurocysticercosis, the rest were taeniasis due to T. solium, T. saginata, ocular cysticercosis and cysticerci in other organs. Bolivar, a touristic department, had the highest cumulated incidence rate (16.17 cases/100,000pop), as also evident across the map series developed in this study. Conclusion Despite the limitations of this study, data presented provide recent estimates of national taeniasis and cysticercosis incidence in the country useful in public health and for travel medicine practitioners, as some highly touristic areas presented higher disease incidence. Improved control, particularly of taeniasis, should be an attainable goal, which among other strategies would require improved sanitation and health education to prevent transmission, but also enhanced surveillance. PMID:29288739

  7. Integrating an incident management system within a continuity of operations programme: case study of the Bank of Canada.

    PubMed

    Loop, Carole

    2013-01-01

    Carrying out critical business functions without interruption requires a resilient and robust business continuity framework. By embedding an industry-standard incident management system within its business continuity structure, the Bank of Canada strengthened its response plan by enabling timely response to incidents while maintaining a strong focus on business continuity. A total programme approach, integrating the two disciplines, provided for enhanced recovery capabilities. While the value of an effective and efficient response organisation is clear, as demonstrated by emergency events around the world, incident response structures based on normal operating hierarchy can experience unique challenges. The internationally-recognised Incident Command System (ICS) model addresses these issues and reflects the five primary incident management functions, each contributing to the overall strength and effectiveness of the response organisation. The paper focuses on the Bank of Canada's successful implementation of the ICS model as its incident management and continuity of operations programmes evolved to reflect current best practices.

  8. Safer travel, improved economic productivity : incident management systems

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1999-01-01

    This brochure gives an overview of how incident management technologies can be used to reduce incident-related congestion and increase road safety. It focuses on the need for interagency cooperation and the benefits that can be derived from the coope...

  9. Global trends in testicular cancer incidence and mortality.

    PubMed

    Rosen, Alexandre; Jayram, Gautam; Drazer, Michael; Eggener, Scott E

    2011-08-01

    Epidemiologic studies on testicular cancer have focused primarily on European countries. Global incidence and mortality have been less thoroughly evaluated. Our goal was to gain a better understanding of the most recent global age-standardized incidence and mortality rates for testicular cancer and to use these values to estimate a region's health care quality. Age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR) and age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR) for testicular cancer were obtained for men of all ages in 172 countries by using the GLOBOCAN 2008 database, reflecting the annual rate of cancer incidence and mortality per 100,000 men. These data were evaluated on a regional level to compare incidence and mortality rates. Global plots of these values were constructed to better visualize geographic distributions. Finally, the ratio of ASIR to ASMR was calculated as a method to assess each region's proficiency in diagnosing and effectively treating testicular cancer. ASIR and ASMR were analyzed by region, and each region's ratio of ASIR to ASMR was calculated. Testicular cancer ASIR is highest in Western Europe (7.8%), Northern Europe (6.7%), and Australia (6.5%). Asia and Africa had the lowest incidence (<1.0%). ASMR was highest in Central America (0.7%), western Asia (0.6%), and Central and Eastern Europe (0.6%). Mortality was lowest in North America, Northern Europe, and Australia (0.1-0.2%). The ASIR-ASMR ratio was highest in Australia (65.0%) and lowest in western Africa (1.0%). National reporting systems varied by country, and data quality may have fluctuated between regions. Testicular cancer incidence remains highest in developed nations with primarily Caucasian populations. Variable ASIR-ASMR ratios suggest markedly different geographic-specific reporting mechanisms, access to care, and treatment capabilities. Copyright © 2011 European Association of Urology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Incidence of bruxism in TMD population.

    PubMed

    Chandwani, Briesh; Ceneviz, Caroline; Mehta, Noshir; Scrivani, Steven

    2011-01-01

    The objective of the study presented here was to examine the incidence of bruxism in patients suffering from temporomandibular disorders. Two cohorts of patients suffering from temporomandibular disorders were evaluated. One group, composed of 163 patients, was asked specifically about the occurrence of bruxism, while the other group, composed of 200 patients, was not specifically asked about bruxism (self-reporting). The incidence of bruxism was only 20.5% for the group that only self-reported bruxism, while the incidence was 65% when asked specifically about bruxism. It is critical to ask specifically about bruxism. Patients are more likely to report bruxism when asked specifically about it. It is important to incorporate this as part of a TMD evaluation.

  11. Incident reporting to BfArM - regulatory framework, results and challenges.

    PubMed

    Seidel, Robin; Stößlein, Ekkehard; Lauer, Wolfgang

    2016-04-01

    Medical devices are manifold and one of the most innovative fields of technology. As technologies advance, former limits cease to exist and complex devices become reality. Medical devices represent a very dynamic field with high economic relevance. The manufacturer of a medical device is obliged to minimize product-related risks as well as to demonstrate compliance with the so-called "essential requirements" regarding safety and performance before placing the device on the market. Any critical incident in relation to the application of a medical device has to be reported to the competent authority for risk assessment, which in Germany is either the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM) or the Paul Ehrlich Institute (PEI) depending on the type of device. In this article, the German regulatory framework for medical devices and the resulting tasks for BfArM are described as well as the topics of its recently installed research and development group on prospective risk identification and application safety for medical devices. Results of failure mode and root cause analyses of incident data are presented as well as further data on cases with the result "root-cause analysis not possible". Finally an outlook is given on future challenges regarding risk assessment for medical devices.

  12. Masking in reports of "most serious" events: bias in estimators of sports injury incidence in Canadian children.

    PubMed

    Gupta, A; Davidson, C M; McIsaac, M A

    2016-08-01

    Surveys that collect information on injuries often focus on the single "most serious" event to help limit recall error and reduce survey length. However, this can mask less serious injuries and result in biased incidence estimates for specific injury subcategories. Data from the 2002 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) survey and from the Canadian Hospitals Injury Reporting and Prevention Program (CHIRPP) were used to compare estimates of sports injury incidence in Canadian children. HBSC data indicate that 6.7% of children report sustaining a sports injury that required an emergency department (ED) visit. However, details were only collected on a child's "most serious" injury, so children who had multiple injuries requiring an ED visit may have had sports injuries that went unreported. The rate of 6.7% can be seen to be an underestimate by as much as 4.3%. Corresponding CHIRPP surveillance data indicate an incidence of 9.9%. Potential masking bias is also highlighted in our analysis of injuries attended by other health care providers. The "one most serious injury" line of questioning induces potentially substantial masking bias in the estimation of sports injury incidence, which limits researchers' ability to quantify the burden of sports injury. Longer survey recall periods naturally lead to greater masking. The design of future surveys should take these issues into account. In order to accurately inform policy decisions and the direction of future research, researchers must be aware of these limitations.

  13. The incidence of injuries among 87,000 Massachusetts children and adolescents: results of the 1980-81 Statewide Childhood Injury Prevention Program Surveillance System.

    PubMed Central

    Gallagher, S S; Finison, K; Guyer, B; Goodenough, S

    1984-01-01

    This study describes the incidence of fatal and nonfatal injuries occurring in 87,022 Massachusetts children and adolescents during a one-year period. A surveillance system for injuries at 23 hospitals captured 93 per cent of all discharges for ages 0-19 in the 14 communities under study. Sample data were collected on emergency room visits, hospital admissions, and deaths for all but a few causes of unintentional injuries. The overall incidence was 2,239 per 10,000. The true incidence rates are probably higher than those reported. The ratio of emergency room visits to admissions to deaths was 1,300 to 45 to 1. Injury rates varied considerably by age, sex, cause, and level of severity. Age-specific injury rates were lowest for infants and elementary school age children and highest for toddlers and adolescents. The overall ratio of male to female injury rates was 1.66 to 1. Injuries from falls, sports, and cutting and piercing instruments had a high incidence and low severity. Injuries from motor vehicles, burns, and drownings had lower incidence, but greater severity. Results provide evidence that both morbidity and mortality must be considered when determining priorities for injury prevention. Current prevention efforts must be expanded to target injuries of higher incidence and within the adolescent population. PMID:6507685

  14. Incidence and trends of central line associated pneumothorax using radiograph report text search versus administrative database codes.

    PubMed

    Reeson, Marc; Forster, Alan; van Walraven, Carl

    2018-05-25

    Central line associated pneumothorax (CLAP) could be a good quality of care indicator because they are objectively measured, clearly undesirable and possibly avoidable. We measured the incidence and trends of CLAP using radiograph report text search with manual review and compared them with measures using routinely collected health administrative data. For each hospitalisation to a tertiary care teaching hospital between 2002 and 2015, we searched all chest radiography reports for a central line with a sensitive computer algorithm. Screen positive reports were manually reviewed to confirm central lines. The index and subsequent chest radiography reports were screened for pneumothorax followed by manual confirmation. Diagnostic and procedural codes were used to identify CLAP in administrative data. In 685 044 hospitalisations, 10 819 underwent central line insertion (1.6%) with CLAP occurring 181 times (1.7%). CLAP risk did not change over time. Codes for CLAP were inaccurate (sensitivity 13.8%, positive predictive value 6.6%). However, overall code-based CLAP risk (1.8%) was almost identical to actual values possibly because patient strata with inflated CLAP risk were balanced by more common strata having underestimated CLAP risk. Code-based methods inflated central line incidence 2.2 times and erroneously concluded that CLAP risk decreased significantly over time. Using valid methods, CLAP incidence was similar to those in the literature but has not changed over time. Although administrative database codes for CLAP were very inaccurate, they generated CLAP risks very similar to actual values because of offsetting errors. In contrast to those from radiograph report text search with manual review, CLAP trends decreased significantly using administrative data. Hospital CLAP risk should not be measured using administrative data. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial

  15. Organisational reporting and learning systems: Innovating inside and outside of the box.

    PubMed

    Sujan, Mark; Furniss, Dominic

    2015-01-01

    Reporting and learning systems are key organisational tools for the management and prevention of clinical risk. However, current approaches, such as incident reporting, are struggling to meet expectations of turning health systems like the UK National Health Service (NHS) into learning organisations. This article aims to open up debate on the potential for novel reporting and learning systems in healthcare, by reflecting on experiences from two recent projects: Proactive Risk Monitoring in Healthcare (PRIMO) and Errordiary in Healthcare. These two approaches demonstrate how paying attention to ordinary, everyday clinical work can derive useful learning and active discussion about clinical risk. We argue that innovations in reporting and learning systems might come from both inside and outside of the box. 'Inside' being along traditional paths of controlled organisational innovation. 'Outside' in the sense that inspiration comes outside of the healthcare domain, or more extremely, outside official channels through external websites and social media (e.g. patient forums, public review sites, whistleblower blogs and Twitter streams). Reporting routes that bypass official channels could empower staff and patient activism, and turn out to be a driver to challenge organisational processes, assumptions and priorities where the organisation is failing and has become unresponsive.

  16. Professional monitoring and critical incident reporting using personal digital assistants.

    PubMed

    Bent, Paul D; Bolsin, Stephen N; Creati, Bernie J; Patrick, Andrew J; Colson, Mark E

    2002-11-04

    To assess the practicality of using personal digital assistants (PDAs) for the collection of logbook data, procedural performance data and critical incident reports in anaesthetic trainees. Pilot study. Two tertiary referral centres (in Victoria and New Zealand) and a large district hospital in Queensland. Six accredited Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA) registrars and their ANZCA training supervisors. Registrars and supervisors underwent initial training for one hour, and supervisors were provided with ongoing support. Reliable use of the program, average time for data entry and number of procedures logged. ANZCA trainees reliably enter data into PDAs. The data can be transferred to a central database, where they can be remotely analysed before results are fed back to trainees. This technology can be used to monitor professional performance in ANZCA trainees.

  17. Hip fracture incidence is decreasing in the high incidence area of Oslo, Norway.

    PubMed

    Støen, R O; Nordsletten, L; Meyer, H E; Frihagen, J F; Falch, J A; Lofthus, C M

    2012-10-01

    This study reports a significant decrease in age-adjusted incidence rates of hip fracture for women in Oslo, Norway, even compared with data from 1978/1979. Use of bisphosphonate may explain up to one third of the decline in the incidence. The aims of the present study were to report the current incidence of hip fractures in Oslo and to estimate the influence of bisphosphonates on the current incidence. Using the electronic diagnosis registers and lists from the operating theaters of the hospitals of Oslo, all patients with ICD-10 codes S72.0 and S72.1 (hip fracture) in 2007 were identified. Medical records of all identified patients were reviewed to verify the diagnosis. Age- and gender-specific annual incidence rates were calculated using the population of Oslo on January 1, 2007 as the population at risk. Data on the use of bisphosphonates were obtained from official registers. A total number of 1,005 hip fractures, 712 (71%) in women, were included. The age-adjusted fracture rates per 10,000 for the age group >50 years were 82.0 for women and 39.1 for men in 2007, compared with 110.8 and 41.4 in 1996/1997, 116.5 and 42.9 in 1988/1989, and 97.5 and 34.5 in 1978/1979, respectively. It was estimated that the use of bisphosphonates may explain up to 13% of the decline in incidence in women aged 60-69 years and up to 34% in women aged 70-79 years. The incidence of hip fractures in women in Oslo has decreased significantly during the last decade and is now at a lower level than in 1978/1979. This reduction was not evident in men. The incidence of hip fractures in Oslo is, however, still the highest in the world.

  18. Challenging behaviour in the elderly-monitoring violent incidents.

    PubMed

    Almvik, Roger; Rasmussen, Kirsten; Woods, Phil

    2006-04-01

    To explore the frequency and nature of violent incidents in psychogeriatric wards and nursing homes in terms of type and severity of incidents, what provoked the incidents, and what kind of measure was needed to stop the aggression. Aggressive behaviour of the study group was monitored using the Staff Observation Aggression Scale-Revised (SOAS-R( in two Norwegian nursing homes and two geriatric psychiatric wards for a period of three months. Severity of incidents were monitored with the built-in severity scoring system in SOAS-R. During the study period 32 out of the 82 patients were reported to be violent. The majority of the incidents were generated by a minority of the patients. Physical injury to the staff as a consequence of the aggression was extremely rare. Situations where the client was denied something were the most provocative ones and a substantial number of incidents occurred at bath/shower times. Talking to the patient was the most frequent measure used to stop the aggression, but more intrusive measures were also used. A substantial proportion of the incidents were associated with personal care tasks, suggesting a crucial role for communication difficulties and a focus for staff training. We suggest that personal care situations should be added to the variable list in future research. Copyright (c) 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  19. Trials and tribulations: how we established a major incident database.

    PubMed

    Hardy, S E J; Fattah, S

    2017-01-25

    We describe the process of setting up a database of major incident reports and its potential future application. A template for reporting on major incidents was developed using a consensus-based process involving a team of experts in the field. A website was set up as a platform from which to launch the template and as a database of submitted reports. This paper describes the processes involved in setting up a major incident reporting database. It describes how specific difficulties have been overcome and anticipates challenges for the future. We have successfully set up a major incident database, the main purpose of which is to have a repository of standardised major incident reports that can be analysed and compared in order to learn from them.

  20. Pre-Departure Clearance (PDC): An Analysis of Aviation Safety Reporting System Reports Concerning PDC Related Errors

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Montalyo, Michael L.; Lebacqz, J. Victor (Technical Monitor)

    1994-01-01

    Airlines operating in the United States are required to operate under instrument flight rules (EFR). Typically, a clearance is issued via voice transmission from clearance delivery at the departing airport. In 1990, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) began deployment of the Pre-Departure Clearance (PDC) system at 30 U.S. airports. The PDC system utilizes aeronautical datalink and Aircraft Communication and Reporting System (ACARS) to transmit departure clearances directly to the pilot. An objective of the PDC system is to provide an immediate reduction in voice congestion over the clearance delivery frequency. Participating airports report that this objective has been met. However, preliminary analysis of 42 Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) reports has revealed problems in PDC procedures and formatting which have caused errors in the proper execution of the clearance. It must be acknowledged that this technology, along with other advancements on the flightdeck, is adding more responsibility to the crew and increasing the opportunity for error. The present study uses these findings as a basis for further coding and analysis of an additional 82 reports obtained from an ASRS database search. These reports indicate that clearances are often amended or exceptions are added in order to accommodate local ATC facilities. However, the onboard ACARS is limited in its ability to emphasize or highlight these changes which has resulted in altitude and heading deviations along with increases in ATC workload. Furthermore, few participating airports require any type of PDC receipt confirmation. In fact, 35% of all ASRS reports dealing with PDC's include failure to acquire the PDC at all. Consequently, this study examines pilots' suggestions contained in ASRS reports in order to develop recommendations to airlines and ATC facilities to help reduce the amount of incidents that occur.

  1. Reported incidence and precipitating factors of work-related stress and mental ill-health in the United Kingdom (1996-2001).

    PubMed

    Cherry, Nicola M; Chen, Yiqun; McDonald, J Corbett

    2006-09-01

    Work-related mental ill-health appears to be increasing. Population-based data on incidence are scarce but in the United Kingdom occupational physicians and psychiatrists report these conditions to voluntary surveillance schemes. To estimate the incidence of work-related stress and mental illness reported 1996-2001 by occupational physicians and 1999-2001 by psychiatrists. Estimated annual average incidence rates were calculated by sex, occupation and industry against appropriate populations at risk. An in-house coding scheme was used to classify and analyse data on precipitating events. An estimated annual average of 3,624 new cases were reported by psychiatrists, and 2,718 by occupational physicians; the rates were higher for men in reports based on the former and for women on the latter. Most diagnoses were of anxiety/depression or work-related stress, with post-traumatic stress accounting for approximately 10% of cases reported by psychiatrists. High rates of ill-health were seen among professional and associated workers and in those in personal and protective services. Factors (such as work overload) intrinsic to the job and issues with interpersonal relations were the most common causes overall. The steep increase in new cases of work-related mental ill-health reported by occupational physicians since 1996 may reflect a greater willingness by workers to seek help but may also signify an increasing dissonance between workers' expectations and the work environment. Greater expertise is needed to improve the workplace by adjustment of job demands, improvement of working relations, increasing workers' capacities and management of organizational change.

  2. Chewing gum in the preoperative fasting period: an analysis of de-identified incidents reported to webAIRS.

    PubMed

    Shanmugam, S; Goulding, G; Gibbs, N M; Taraporewalla, K; Culwick, M

    2016-03-01

    The role of preoperative fasting is well established in current anaesthetic practice with different guidelines for clear fluids and food. However, chewing gum may not be categorised as either food or drink by some patients, and may not always be specified in instructions given to patients about preoperative fasting. The aim of this paper was to review anaesthesia incidents involving gum chewing reported to webAIRS to obtain information on the risks, if any, of gum chewing during the preoperative fasting period. There were nine incidents involving chewing gum reported between late 2009 and early 2015. There were no adverse outcomes from the nine incidents other than postponement of surgery in three cases and cancellation in one. In particular, there were no reports of aspiration or airway obstruction. Nevertheless, there were five cases in which the gum was not detected preoperatively and was found in the patient's mouth either intraoperatively or postoperatively. These cases of undetected gum occurred despite patient and staff compliance with their current preoperative checklists. While the risk of increased gastric secretions related to chewing gum preoperatively are not known, the potential for airway obstruction if the gum is not detected and removed preoperatively is very real. We recommend that patients should be specifically advised to avoid gum chewing once fasting from clear fluids is commenced, and that a specific question regarding the presence of chewing gum should be added to all preoperative checklists.

  3. Determinants of medication incident reporting, recovery, and learning in community pharmacies: a conceptual model.

    PubMed

    Boyle, Todd A; Mahaffey, Thomas; Mackinnon, Neil J; Deal, Heidi; Hallstrom, Lars K; Morgan, Holly

    2011-03-01

    Evidence suggests that the underreporting of medication errors and near misses, collectively referred to as medication incidents (MIs), in the community pharmacy setting, is high. Despite the obvious negative implications, MIs present opportunities for pharmacy staff and regulatory authorities to learn from these mistakes and take steps to reduce the likelihood that they reoccur. However, these activities can only take place if such errors are reported and openly discussed. This research proposes a model of factors influencing the reporting, service recovery, and organizational learning resulting from MIs within Canadian community pharmacies. The conceptual model is based on a synthesis of the literature and findings from a pilot study conducted among pharmacy management, pharmacists, and pharmacy technicians from 13 community pharmacies in Nova Scotia, Canada. The purpose of the pilot study was to identify various actions that should be taken to improve MI reporting and included staff perceptions of the strengths and weaknesses of their current MI-reporting process, desired characteristics of a new process, and broader external and internal activities that would likely improve reporting. Out of the 109 surveys sent, 72 usable surveys were returned (66.1% response rate). Multivariate analysis of variance found no significant differences among staff type in their perceptions of the current or new desired system but were found for broader initiatives to improve MI reporting. These findings were used for a proposed structural equation model (SEM). The SEM proposes that individual-perceived self-efficacy, MI process capability, MI process support, organizational culture, management support, and regulatory authority all influence the completeness of MI reporting, which, in turn, influences MI service recovery and learning. This model may eventually be used to enable pharmacy managers to make better decisions. By identifying risk factors that contribute to low MI

  4. Evaluation of a Web-based Error Reporting Surveillance System in a Large Iranian Hospital.

    PubMed

    Askarian, Mehrdad; Ghoreishi, Mahboobeh; Akbari Haghighinejad, Hourvash; Palenik, Charles John; Ghodsi, Maryam

    2017-08-01

    Proper reporting of medical errors helps healthcare providers learn from adverse incidents and improve patient safety. A well-designed and functioning confidential reporting system is an essential component to this process. There are many error reporting methods; however, web-based systems are often preferred because they can provide; comprehensive and more easily analyzed information. This study addresses the use of a web-based error reporting system. This interventional study involved the application of an in-house designed "voluntary web-based medical error reporting system." The system has been used since July 2014 in Nemazee Hospital, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. The rate and severity of errors reported during the year prior and a year after system launch were compared. The slope of the error report trend line was steep during the first 12 months (B = 105.727, P = 0.00). However, it slowed following launch of the web-based reporting system and was no longer statistically significant (B = 15.27, P = 0.81) by the end of the second year. Most recorded errors were no-harm laboratory types and were due to inattention. Usually, they were reported by nurses and other permanent employees. Most reported errors occurred during morning shifts. Using a standardized web-based error reporting system can be beneficial. This study reports on the performance of an in-house designed reporting system, which appeared to properly detect and analyze medical errors. The system also generated follow-up reports in a timely and accurate manner. Detection of near-miss errors could play a significant role in identifying areas of system defects.

  5. The child sexual abuse epidemic in addis ababa: some reflections on reported incidents, psychosocial consequences and implications.

    PubMed

    Jemal, Jibril

    2012-03-01

    Though child sexual abuse is a universal phenomenon, only reported cases of the incidence are common source of information to get insight on how to understand the problem. Besides, investigating complaints presented by victims themselves would be a stepping stone for designing prevention and rehabilitation programs. The objective of this study was to identify the nature of sexual incidence and experience victims face. The research was conducted by collecting reported child sexual abuse cases from Child Protection Units of Addis Ababa Police Commission and three selected non-governmental organizations working for the welfare of sexually abused children in Addis Ababa. 64 selected samples of victim children were included from the three organizations. They completed a semi-structured questionnaire and data were analyzed. Of the total reported crime cases committed against children (between July 2005 and December 2006), 23% of them were child sexual victimization. On average, 21 children were reported to be sexually abused each month where majority of the sexual abuse incidence were committed against female children in their own home by someone they closely know. The psychological trauma and physical complaints presented by victims include symptoms of anxiety and depression. It was found out that child sexual abuse cases presented to the legal office was not properly managed. Female children appear to be more prone to sexual abuse than their male counterparts. By virtue of their nature, many children are at risk of sexual victimization by people they truest. Based on the findings, several implications are made, which includes the importance of nation-wide study to formulate a comprehensive policy guideline for protection and criminalization of child sexual abuse in Ethiopia.

  6. Incidence and Prevalence of Musculoskeletal Injury in Ballet

    PubMed Central

    Smith, Preston J.; Gerrie, Brayden J.; Varner, Kevin E.; McCulloch, Patrick C.; Lintner, David M.; Harris, Joshua D.

    2015-01-01

    Background Most published studies on injuries in the ballet dancer focus on the lower extremity. The rigors of this activity require special training and care. By understanding prevalence and injury pattern to the musculoskeletal system, targeted prevention and treatment for this population can be developed. Purpose To determine the incidence and prevalence of musculoskeletal injuries in ballet. Study Design Systematic review; Level of evidence, 4. Methods A systematic review registered with PROSPERO was performed using PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. Level 1 through 4 evidence studies reporting incidence of musculoskeletal injuries in male and female ballet dancers were included, with the numbers and types of injuries extracted from each. Injury rates were recorded and calculated based on professional status, sex, and nature of injury. Incidence was defined as number of injuries sustained over a specific time. Prevalence was defined as proportion of subjects with an injury at a given point in time. Results The studies analyzed reported injury incidence or prevalence in more than 1365 amateur and 900 professional dancers. The mean age was 16.2 years among amateur and 27.0 years among professional dancers. The incidence of injury among amateur dancers was 0.99 and 1.09 injuries per 1000 dance hours in males and females, respectively; 75% of injuries were overuse, with similar rates among males and females. In professional dancers, the incidence of injury was 1.06 and 1.46 injuries per 1000 dance hours in males and females, respectively, and 64% of female injuries were overuse, compared with 50% in males (P < .001). Only 3 studies provided prevalence data, including 62% prevalence of lumbosacral pain, 58% painful snapping hip, and 29% patellofemoral pain. Lower extremity injuries comprised 66% to 91% of all injuries, with the foot and ankle accounting for 14% to 57%. Conclusion The overall incidence of injury

  7. 49 CFR 225.19 - Primary groups of accidents/incidents.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 4 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Primary groups of accidents/incidents. 225.19... INVESTIGATIONS § 225.19 Primary groups of accidents/incidents. (a) For reporting purposes reportable railroad accidents/incidents are divided into three groups: Group I—Highway-Rail Grade Crossing; Group II—Rail...

  8. 49 CFR 225.19 - Primary groups of accidents/incidents.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 4 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Primary groups of accidents/incidents. 225.19... INVESTIGATIONS § 225.19 Primary groups of accidents/incidents. (a) For reporting purposes reportable railroad accidents/incidents are divided into three groups: Group I—Highway-Rail Grade Crossing; Group II—Rail...

  9. Incidence, Prevalence and Clinical Manifestations of Systemic Sclerosis in Dukagjini Plain

    PubMed Central

    Bajraktari, Ismet H.; Berisha, Idriz; Berisha, Merita; Saiti, Valton; Bajraktari, Halit

    2013-01-01

    Introduction: Progressive systemic sclerosis (PSS) is an inflammatory disease of connective tissue, with onset as edema that continues with fibrosis, induration, and skin atrophy, followed by attacks on the joints, internal organs, and secondary proliferation of connective tissue. Purpose: To research in which residence locations and among which group age is the most frequent incidence, prevalence and clinical manifestations of systemic sclerosis in Dukagjini Plain which is inhabited by 698450 resident citizens. Material and methods: 51 patients with progressive systemic sclerosis were studied, out them 44 were females (86.3%) and 7 males (13.7%) respectively, during the period from 2005 to 2010. Their illness was active from 18 to 60 months in accordance with EUSTAR criteria. They are of different age, median age is 44.2 ±10.1. Their diagnose is determined based on revised ACR criteria. Prevalence of patients with PSS was 14.61/100.000, while the incidence was 2.8/100.000, whereas CI (Confidence interval) or limit of accuracy was 95%. Results: Largest number of patients per 100.000 citizens has Istog municipality which has the largest number of patients with PSS. It is followed by Mamusha and Rahovec municipalities. The largest examined group age is 35-44 year old, 41.2% respectively. Conclusion: Additional studies are necessary to carry out in order to find the reasons of asymmetrical distribution of patients with systemic sclerosis in the municipalities of Dukagjini Plain. PMID:23678335

  10. Comparative Incidence of Conformational, Neurodegenerative Disorders

    PubMed Central

    de Pedro-Cuesta, Jesús; Rábano, Alberto; Martínez-Martín, Pablo; Ruiz-Tovar, María; Alcalde-Cabero, Enrique; Almazán-Isla, Javier; Avellanal, Fuencisla; Calero, Miguel

    2015-01-01

    Background The purpose of this study was to identify incidence and survival patterns in conformational neurodegenerative disorders (CNDDs). Methods We identified 2563 reports on the incidence of eight conditions representing sporadic, acquired and genetic, protein-associated, i.e., conformational, NDD groups and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). We selected 245 papers for full-text examination and application of quality criteria. Additionally, data-collection was completed with detailed information from British, Swedish, and Spanish registries on Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) forms, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and sporadic rapidly progressing neurodegenerative dementia (sRPNDd). For each condition, age-specific incidence curves, age-adjusted figures, and reported or calculated median survival were plotted and examined. Findings Based on 51 valid reported and seven new incidence data sets, nine out of eleven conditions shared specific features. Age-adjusted incidence per million person-years increased from ≤1.5 for sRPNDd, different CJD forms and Huntington's disease (HD), to 1589 and 2589 for AMD and Alzheimer's disease (AD) respectively. Age-specific profiles varied from (a) symmetrical, inverted V-shaped curves for low incidences to (b) those increasing with age for late-life sporadic CNDDs and for sRPNDd, with (c) a suggested, intermediate, non-symmetrical inverted V-shape for fronto-temporal dementia and Parkinson's disease. Frequently, peak age-specific incidences from 20–24 to ≥90 years increased with age at onset and survival. Distinct patterns were seen: for HD, with a low incidence, levelling off at middle age, and long median survival, 20 years; and for sRPNDd which displayed the lowest incidence, increasing with age, and a short median disease duration. Interpretation These results call for a unified population view of NDDs, with an age-at-onset-related pattern for acquired and sporadic CNDDs. The pattern linking age at onset to

  11. Evaluation of tuberculosis cases occurring in ten outlying cities and reported in the Entorno region of the state of Goiás and reported in the neighboring Federal District: analysis of the incidence of tuberculosis in those cites.

    PubMed

    Moreira, Maria Auxiliadora Carmo; Bello, Aline Sampaio; Alves, Maristela dos Reis Luz; Silva, Miramar Vieira da; Lorusso, Vincenza

    2007-01-01

    To evaluate tuberculosis cases occurring in the greater metropolitan area of the Distrito Federal (MADF, encompassing the Federal District, i.e., the national capital of Brasília, located in the state of Goiás) but reported in Brasília itself and to analyze the influence that this has on the effectiveness of the tuberculosis control program, as well as on the collection of socioeconomic and demographic data related to tuberculosis incidence rates. Rates of tuberculosis incidence, cure, noncompliance, treatment failure, mortality, and referral, as well as socioeconomic and demographic data, were reviewed for patients from ten MADF cities. From 2000 to 2004, 714 new cases of tuberculosis were reported in the cities studied, 436 (61%) of which were treated in Brasília and were therefore not included in the Goiás database. Among patients treated only in the MADF cities studied, the mean incidence of tuberculosis ranged from 4.40 to 10.02/100,000 inhabitants. When those treated in Brasília were included, the incidence significantly increased, ranging from 15.16 to 20.54/100,000 inhabitants (p < 0.001). The rate at which contacts of tuberculosis patients were investigated was low, and treatment outcomes were unsatisfactory in the MADF cities studied and in Brasília. Socioeconomic and demographic data were consistent with the tuberculosis incidence. The number of tuberculosis patients treated in the city in which they resided was lower than expected. Treatment in another city might impair tuberculosis control. The recalculated tuberculosis incidence is consistent with the socioeconomic and demographic profile of the region. A federal surveillance system could be efficiently optimized, improving the control of this disease.

  12. Hazardous chemical incidents in schools--United States, 2002-2007.

    PubMed

    2008-11-07

    Chemicals that can cause adverse health effects are used in many elementary and secondary schools (e.g., in chemistry laboratories, art classrooms, automotive repair areas, printing and other vocational shops, and facility maintenance areas). Every year, unintentional and intentional releases of these chemicals, or related fires or explosions, occur in schools, causing injuries, costly cleanups, and lost school days. The federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) conducts national public health surveillance of chemical incidents through its Hazardous Substances Emergency Events Surveillance (HSEES) system. To identify school-related incidents and elucidate their causes and consequences to highlight the need for intervention, ATSDR conducted an analysis of HSEES data for 2002-2007. During that period, 423 chemical incidents in elementary and secondary schools were reported by 15 participating states. Mercury was the most common chemical released. The analysis found that 62% of reported chemical incidents at elementary and secondary schools resulted from human error (i.e., mistakes in the use or handling of a substance), and 30% of incidents resulted in at least one acute injury. Proper chemical use and management (e.g., keeping an inventory and properly storing, labeling, and disposing of chemicals) is essential to protect school building occupants. Additional education directed at raising awareness of the problem and providing resources to reduce the risk is needed to ensure that schools are safe from unnecessary dangers posed by hazardous chemicals.

  13. Prevalence of Skin Tears in Elderly Patients: A Retrospective Chart Review of Incidence Reports in 6 Long-term Care Facilities.

    PubMed

    Hawk, Joyce; Shannon, Mary

    2018-04-01

    The incidence and prevalence of skin tears in long-term care (LTC) facilities has not been well established. To ascertain the point prevalence of reported skin tears, a retrospective review of incident reports was performed in 6 LTC facilities in western Pennsylvania from November 1, 2016 through December 31, 2016. Report data, including resident age; gender; mobility limitations; skin tear location, number, and cause (if known); occurrence time (7 am to 3 pm, 3 pm to 11 pm, or 11 pm to 7 am nursing shift); and history of previous skin tears, were abstracted. All data were entered into a statistical analysis program and analyzed using descriptive statistics. Period prevalence was used to determine prevalence rate; an independent t test was used to compare the presence of skin tears between genders. Differences between location and cause of skin tears were evaluated using a multinomial test of related proportions. A test of proportions was used to evaluate skin tear occurrence time (nursing shift) differences. The overall point prevalence rate was 9% (N = 1253 residents) ranging from 6 to 28 skin tears per facility. The average age of residents with a skin tear (n = 119) was 83.5 years. The majority (111, 93%) had mobility limitations. Falls accounted for 38 skin tears (31.9%), followed by propelling in a wheelchair (18, 15.1%; X2 =7.14; P = .008). Forearm skin tears (37, 31.1%) occurred significantly more frequently than lower leg skin tears (19, 16%; P = .016). Significantly more skin tears occurred during the 7 am to 3 pm shift (47, 39.5%) and 3 pm to 11 pm shift (49, 41.2%) than during the 11 pm to 7 am shift (23, 19.3%; X2 = 5.78; P <.01). The results of this study confirm skin tears are a significant problem among elderly residents in LTC, especially because the reported rate is likely lower than the actual rate. Research to further elucidate the incidence and prevalence of skin tears and associated risk factors is needed to help develop evidence-based risk

  14. Metabolically healthy obesity and incident chronic kidney disease: The role of systemic inflammation in a prospective study.

    PubMed

    Lin, Lin; Peng, Kui; Du, Rui; Huang, Xiaolin; Lu, Jieli; Xu, Yu; Xu, Min; Chen, Yuhong; Bi, Yufang; Wang, Weiqing

    2017-03-01

    To investigate the association between the metabolically healthy obesity (MHO) phenotype and incident chronic kidney disease (CKD) in a Chinese population and whether systemic inflammation affects this association. A cohort study was performed with 2,491 Chinese adults. Body mass index ≥ 25.0 kg/m 2 was defined as obesity. CKD was defined as estimated glomerular filtration rate < 60 mL/min per 1.73 m 2 or urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio ≥ 30 mg/g. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) was used as a surrogate marker of systemic inflammation. Over a median follow-up period of 3.9 years, 243 of 2,491 participants developed incident CKD (9.8%). Compared with metabolically healthy nonobesity (MHNO), MHO was associated with incident CKD (odds ratio [OR] = 1.65, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01-2.69), but not after adjustment for hsCRP. The MHO/hsCRP ≥ 0.20 mg/L group, but not the MHO/hsCRP < 0.20 mg/L group, had an increased OR for incident CKD (OR = 2.66, 95% CI 1.37-5.14), with the MHNO/hsCRP < 0.20 mg/L group as the reference. MHO was significantly associated with incident CKD, and the level of systemic inflammation partially explained this association. © 2017 The Obesity Society.

  15. SBAR improves communication and safety climate and decreases incident reports due to communication errors in an anaesthetic clinic: a prospective intervention study.

    PubMed

    Randmaa, Maria; Mårtensson, Gunilla; Leo Swenne, Christine; Engström, Maria

    2014-01-21

    We aimed to examine staff members' perceptions of communication within and between different professions, safety attitudes and psychological empowerment, prior to and after implementation of the communication tool Situation-Background-Assessment-Recommendation (SBAR) at an anaesthetic clinic. The aim was also to study whether there was any change in the proportion of incident reports caused by communication errors. A prospective intervention study with comparison group using preassessments and postassessments. Questionnaire data were collected from staff in an intervention (n=100) and a comparison group (n=69) at the anaesthetic clinic in two hospitals prior to (2011) and after (2012) implementation of SBAR. The proportion of incident reports due to communication errors was calculated during a 1-year period prior to and after implementation. Anaesthetic clinics at two hospitals in Sweden. All licensed practical nurses, registered nurses and physicians working in the operating theatres, intensive care units and postanaesthesia care units at anaesthetic clinics in two hospitals were invited to participate. Implementation of SBAR in an anaesthetic clinic. The primary outcomes were staff members' perception of communication within and between different professions, as well as their perceptions of safety attitudes. Secondary outcomes were psychological empowerment and incident reports due to error of communication. In the intervention group, there were statistically significant improvements in the factors 'Between-group communication accuracy' (p=0.039) and 'Safety climate' (p=0.011). The proportion of incident reports due to communication errors decreased significantly (p<0.0001) in the intervention group, from 31% to 11%. Implementing the communication tool SBAR in anaesthetic clinics was associated with improvement in staff members' perception of communication between professionals and their perception of the safety climate as well as with a decreased proportion of

  16. 49 CFR 225.12 - Rail Equipment Accident/Incident Reports alleging employee human factor as cause; Employee Human...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... employee human factor as cause; Employee Human Factor Attachment; notice to employee; employee supplement..., AND INVESTIGATIONS § 225.12 Rail Equipment Accident/Incident Reports alleging employee human factor as cause; Employee Human Factor Attachment; notice to employee; employee supplement. (a) Rail Equipment...

  17. 49 CFR 225.12 - Rail Equipment Accident/Incident Reports alleging employee human factor as cause; Employee Human...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... employee human factor as cause; Employee Human Factor Attachment; notice to employee; employee supplement..., AND INVESTIGATIONS § 225.12 Rail Equipment Accident/Incident Reports alleging employee human factor as cause; Employee Human Factor Attachment; notice to employee; employee supplement. (a) Rail Equipment...

  18. The hospital incident command system: modified model for hospitals in iran.

    PubMed

    Djalali, Ahmadreza; Hosseinijenab, Vahid; Peyravi, Mahmoudreza; Nekoei-Moghadam, Mahmood; Hosseini, Bashir; Schoenthal, Lisa; Koenig, Kristi L

    2015-03-27

    Effectiveness of hospital management of disasters requires a well-defined and rehearsed system. The Hospital Incident Command System (HICS), as a standardized method for command and control, was established in Iranian hospitals, but it has performed fairly during disaster exercises. This paper describes the process for, and modifications to HICS undertaken to optimize disaster management in hospitals in Iran. In 2013, a group of 11 subject matter experts participated in an expert consensus modified Delphi to develop modifications to the 2006 version of HICS. The following changes were recommended by the expert panel and subsequently implemented: 1) A Quality Control Officer was added to the Command group; 2) Security was defined as a new section; 3) Infrastructure and Business Continuity Branches were moved from the Operations Section to the Logistics and the Administration Sections, respectively; and 4) the Planning Section was merged within the Finance/Administration Section. An expert consensus group developed a modified HICS that is more feasible to implement given the managerial organization of hospitals in Iran. This new model may enhance hospital performance in managing disasters. Additional studies are needed to test the feasibility and efficacy of the modified HICS in Iran, both during simulations and actual disasters. This process may be a useful model for other countries desiring to improve disaster incident management systems for their hospitals.

  19. Critical steps in learning from incidents: using learning potential in the process from reporting an incident to accident prevention.

    PubMed

    Drupsteen, Linda; Groeneweg, Jop; Zwetsloot, Gerard I J M

    2013-01-01

    Many incidents have occurred because organisations have failed to learn from lessons of the past. This means that there is room for improvement in the way organisations analyse incidents, generate measures to remedy identified weaknesses and prevent reoccurrence: the learning from incidents process. To improve that process, it is necessary to gain insight into the steps of this process and to identify factors that hinder learning (bottlenecks). This paper presents a model that enables organisations to analyse the steps in a learning from incidents process and to identify the bottlenecks. The study describes how this model is used in a survey and in 3 exploratory case studies in The Netherlands. The results show that there is limited use of learning potential, especially in the evaluation stage. To improve learning, an approach that considers all steps is necessary.

  20. Incidence Patterns and Occupational Risk Factors of Human Brucellosis in Greece, 2004-2015.

    PubMed

    Lytras, T; Danis, K; Dounias, G

    2016-10-01

    Brucellosis is the most common bacterial zoonosis worldwide. Greece has the highest reported incidence among EU countries. However, occupational risk factors have not been well described. To determine the incidence patterns and exposure risk factors of brucellosis in Greece. We used national-level surveillance and occupational denominator data to estimate the incidence patterns and exposure risk factors of brucellosis in Greece, with particular emphasis on occupation. Between November 2003 and December 2015 a total of 2159 human brucellosis cases was reported. The mean incidence rate was 1.62 per 100 000 population per year. A large majority of cases (77.1%) reported consumption of unpasteurized milk or contact with livestock animals. Most cases occured in farmers and livestock breeders (1079 [87.7%] of 1231 cases reporting their occupation), corresponding to an annual incidence of 7.1 per 100 000. However, there were other occupations with a similar or higher risk: butchers and abattoir workers (12.7 per 100 000), laboratory personnel (3.1 per 100 000), while the highest risk was for veterinarians (53.2 per 100 000). Brucellosis incidence in specific occupational groups was much higher than in the general population. These results underline the importance of collecting information on occupation, both during the diagnostic process and in the surveillance system. Besides efforts to control brucellosis in animals, organized prevention efforts are needed within an occupational health framework, especially for the most vulnerable workers.

  1. Assessment of reportable disease incidence after Hurricane Sandy, New York City, 2012.

    PubMed

    Greene, Sharon K; Wilson, Elisha L; Konty, Kevin J; Fine, Annie D

    2013-10-01

    Hurricane Sandy's October 29, 2012 arrival in New York City caused flooding, power disruption, and population displacement. Infectious disease risk may have been affected by floodwater exposure, residence in emergency shelters, overcrowding, and lack of refrigeration or heating. For 42 reportable diseases that could have been affected by hurricane-related exposures, we developed methods to assess whether hurricane-affected areas had higher disease incidence than other areas of NYC. We identified post-hurricane cases as confirmed, probable, or suspected cases with onset or diagnosis between October 30 and November 26 that were reported via routine passive surveillance. Pre-hurricane cases for the same 4-week period were identified in 5 prior years, 2007-2011. Cases were geocoded to the census tract of residence. Using data compiled by the NYC Office of Emergency Management, we determined (1) the proportion of the population in each census tract living in a flooded block and (2) the subset of flooded tracts severely "impacted", e.g., by prolonged service outages or physical damage. A separate multivariable regression model was constructed for each disease, modeling the outcome of case counts using a negative binomial distribution. Independent variables were: neighborhood poverty; whether cases were pre- or post-hurricane (time); the proportion of the population flooded in impacted and not impacted tracts; and interaction terms between the flood/impact variables and time. Models used repeated measures to adjust for correlated observations from the same tract and an offset term of the log of the population size. Sensitivity analyses assessed the effects of case count fluctuations and accounted for variations in reporting volume by using an offset term of the log of total cases. Only legionellosis was statistically significantly associated with increased occurrence in flooded/impacted areas post-hurricane, adjusting for baseline differences (P = .04). However, there was

  2. A Physician-based Voluntary Reporting System for Adverse Events and Medical Errors

    PubMed Central

    Weingart, Saul N; Callanan, Lawrence D; Ship, Amy N; Aronson, Mark D

    2001-01-01

    OBJECTIVE To create a voluntary reporting method for identifying adverse events (AEs) and potential adverse events (PAEs) among medical inpatients. DESIGN Medical house officers asked their peers about obstacles to care, injuries or extended hospitalizations, and problems with medications that affected their patients. Two independent reviewers coded event narratives for adverse outcomes, responsible parties, preventability, and process problems. We corroborated house officers' reports with hospital incident reports and conducted a retrospective chart review. SETTING The cardiac step-down, oncology, and medical intensive care units of an urban teaching hospital. INTERVENTION Structured confidential interviews by postgraduate year-2 and -3 medical residents of interns during work rounds. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Respondents reported 88 events over 3 months. AEs occurred among 5 patients (0.5% of admissions) and PAEs among 48 patients (4.9% of admissions). Delayed diagnoses and treatments figured prominently among PAEs (54%). Clinicians were responsible for the greatest number of incidents (55%), followed by workers in the laboratory (11%), radiology (15%), and pharmacy (3%). Respondents identified a variety of problematic processes of care, including problems with diagnosis (16%), therapy (26%), and failure to provide clinical and support services (29%). We corroborated 84% of reported events in the medical record. Participants found voluntary peer reporting of medical errors unobtrusive and agreed that it could be implemented on a regular basis. CONCLUSIONS A physician-based voluntary reporting system for medical errors is feasible and acceptable to front-line clinicians. PMID:11903759

  3. 49 CFR 225.12 - Rail Equipment Accident/Incident Reports alleging employee human factor as cause; Employee Human...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... employee human factor as cause; Employee Human Factor Attachment; notice to employee; employee supplement... cause; Employee Human Factor Attachment; notice to employee; employee supplement. (a) Rail Equipment... Attachment. If, in reporting a rail equipment accident/incident to FRA, a railroad cites an employee human...

  4. 49 CFR 225.12 - Rail Equipment Accident/Incident Reports alleging employee human factor as cause; Employee Human...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... employee human factor as cause; Employee Human Factor Attachment; notice to employee; employee supplement... cause; Employee Human Factor Attachment; notice to employee; employee supplement. (a) Rail Equipment... Attachment. If, in reporting a rail equipment accident/incident to FRA, a railroad cites an employee human...

  5. Ray-trace analysis of glancing-incidence X-ray optical systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Foreman, J. W., Jr.; Cardone, J. M.

    1976-01-01

    The results of a ray-trace analysis of several glancing-incidence X-ray optical systems are presented. The object of the study was threefold. First, the vignetting characteristics of the S-056 X-ray telescope were calculated using experimental data to determine mirror reflectivities. Second, a small Wolter Type I X-ray telescope intended for possible use in the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite program was designed and ray traced. Finally, a ray-trace program was developed for a Wolter-Schwarzschild X-ray telescope.

  6. Estimating the incidence reporting rates of new influenza pandemics at an early stage using travel data from the source country.

    PubMed

    Chong, K C; Fong, H F; Zee, C Y

    2014-05-01

    During the surveillance of influenza pandemics, underreported data are a public health challenge that complicates the understanding of pandemic threats and can undermine mitigation efforts. We propose a method to estimate incidence reporting rates at early stages of new influenza pandemics using 2009 pandemic H1N1 as an example. Routine surveillance data and statistics of travellers arriving from Mexico were used. Our method incorporates changes in reporting rates such as linearly increasing trends due to the enhanced surveillance. From our results, the reporting rate was estimated at 0·46% during early stages of the pandemic in Mexico. We estimated cumulative incidence in the Mexican population to be 0·7% compared to 0·003% reported by officials in Mexico at the end of April. This method could be useful in estimation of actual cases during new influenza pandemics for policy makers to better determine appropriate control measures.

  7. DOE's Computer Incident Advisory Capability (CIAC)

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Schultz, E.

    1990-09-01

    Computer security is essential in maintaining quality in the computing environment. Computer security incidents, however, are becoming more sophisticated. The DOE Computer Incident Advisory Capability (CIAC) team was formed primarily to assist DOE sites in responding to computer security incidents. Among CIAC's other responsibilities are gathering and distributing information to DOE sites, providing training workshops, coordinating with other agencies, response teams, and vendors, creating guidelines for incident handling, and developing software tools. CIAC has already provided considerable assistance to DOE sites faced with virus infections and worm and hacker attacks, has issued over 40 information bulletins, and has developed andmore » presented a workshop on incident handling. CIAC's experience in helping sites has produced several lessons learned, including the need to follow effective procedures to avoid virus infections in small systems and the need for sound password management and system administration in networked systems. CIAC's activity and scope will expand in the future. 4 refs.« less

  8. Identifying Meningitis During an Anthrax Mass Casualty Incident: Systematic Review of Systemic Anthrax Since 1880

    PubMed Central

    Katharios-Lanwermeyer, Stefan; Holty, Jon-Erik; Person, Marissa; Sejvar, James; Haberling, Dana; Tubbs, Heather; Meaney-Delman, Dana; Pillai, Satish K.; Hupert, Nathaniel; Bower, William A.; Hendricks, Katherine

    2016-01-01

    BACKGROUND Bacillus anthracis, the causative agent of anthrax, is a potential bioterrorism agent. Anthrax meningitis may be a manifestation of B. anthracis infection, has high mortality, and requires more aggressive treatment than anthrax without meningitis. Rapid identification and treatment of anthrax meningitis are essential for successful management of an anthrax mass casualty incident. METHODS Three hundred six published reports from 1880 through 2013 met pre-defined inclusion criteria. We calculated descriptive statistics for abstracted cases and conducted multivariable regression on separate derivation and validation cohorts to identify clinical diagnostic and prognostic factors for anthrax meningitis. RESULTS One hundred thirty-two of 363 (36%) cases with systemic anthrax met anthrax meningitis criteria. Severe headache, altered mental status, meningeal signs, and other neurological signs at presentation independently predicted meningitis in the derivation cohort and are proposed as a four-item screening tool for use during mass casualty incidents. Presence of any one factor on admission had a sensitivity for finding anthrax meningitis of 89% (83%) in the adult (pediatric) validation cohorts. Anthrax meningitis was unlikely in the absence of any of these signs or symptoms ([LR−]=0.12 [0.19] for adult [pediatric] cohorts), while presence of two or more factors made meningitis very likely ([LR+]=26.5 [29.2]). Survival of anthrax meningitis was predicted by treatment with a bactericidal agent (P=0.005) and use of multiple antimicrobials (P=0.012). CONCLUSIONS We developed an evidence-based triage tool for screening patients for meningitis during an anthrax mass casualty incident; its use could improve both patient outcomes and resource allocation in such an event. PMID:27025833

  9. Supporting staff recovery and reintegration after a critical incident resulting in infant death.

    PubMed

    Roesler, Roberta; Ward, Debra; Short, Mary

    2009-08-01

    A critical incident is described as any sudden unexpected event that has the power to overwhelm the usual effective coping skills of an individual or a group and can cause significant psychological distress in usually healthy persons. A Just Culture model to deal with critical incidents is an approach that seeks to identify and balance system events and personal accountability. This article reports a critical incident that occurred at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Methodist Hospital of Indianapolis, when 5 infants received an overdose of heparin that resulted in the death of 3 infants. Although care of the family after the critical incident was the immediate priority, the focus of this article was on the recovery and reintegration of the NICU staff after a critical incident based on the Just Culture philosophy.

  10. Craniofacial duplication: a case report.

    PubMed

    Suryawanshi, Pradeep; Deshpande, Mandar; Verma, Nitin; Mahendrakar, Vivek; Mahendrakar, Sandhya

    2013-09-01

    A craniofacial duplication or diprosopus is an unusual variant of conjoined twinning. The reported incidence is one in 180,000-15 million births and 35 cases have been reported till date. The phenotype is wide, with the partial duplication of a few facial structures to complete dicephalus. A complete duplication is associated with a high incidence of anomalies in the central nervous system, cardiovascular system, gastrointestinal system and the respiratory system, whereas no major anomalies are found in the infants with a partial duplication. A term baby with the features of a craniofacial duplication has been described, with the proposed theories on embryogenesis and a brief review of the literature.

  11. Acceptance and utilisation of the Incident Command System in first response and allied disciplines: an Ohio study.

    PubMed

    Decker, Russell J

    2011-10-01

    In response to the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001, an effort was made to establish a common and uniform command structure for use by the nation's first responder organisations, as well as those disciplines generally expected to assist first responders during a major incident or disaster. The result was the issuance of the National Incident Management System1 or NIMS by the US Department of Homeland Security in 2004. Included in the NIMS document was an embracing of the Incident Command System or ICS, long utilised in the fire service for the effective management of emergency response. The NIMS doctrine also identified certain allied disciplines that needed to adopt this new system for responding to major events. Some of these disciplines included specialised first response units, such as, bomb squads and hazardous materials teams. Other partner disciplines not usually associated with emergency response to include public health and public works were also included. This study will attempt to look at a single component of NIMS, specifically the Incident Command System, and measure its acceptance and utilisation by first responder organisations and selected allied disciplines in the state of Ohio. This is particularly important at this time since the US government is being forced to reduce budgets significantly and determine which laudable policies and programmes will be cut.

  12. Pleasing some of the people some of the time: How authors, subjects, and readers assess "Audience" in wildland fire incident reviews

    Treesearch

    Jennifer A. Ziegler; Anne E. Black

    2012-01-01

    When unexpected outcomes occur in wildland fire, reports from incident reviews carry a symbolic value beyond the factual information they contain. Popular perception of incident reviews is that the organization has identified the root cause with an eye toward system change, and that the final report chronicles "the" final, definitive, and authoritative...

  13. Benefits, barriers, and limitations on the use of Hospital Incident Command System.

    PubMed

    Shooshtari, Shahin; Tofighi, Shahram; Abbasi, Shirin

    2017-01-01

    Hospital Incident Command System (HICS) has been established with the mission of prevention, response, and recovery in hazards. Regarding the key role of hospitals in medical management of events, the present study is aimed at investigating benefits, barriers, and limitations of applying HICS in hospital. Employing a review study, articles related to the aforementioned subject published from 1995 to 2016 were extracted from accredited websites and databases such as PubMed, Google Scholar, Elsevier, and SID by searching keywords such as HICS, benefits, barriers, and limitations. Then, those articles were summarized and reported. Using of HICS can cause creating preparedness in facing disasters, constructive management in strategies of controlling events, and disasters. Therefore, experiences indicate that there are some limitations in the system such as failure to assess the strength and severity of vulnerabilities of hospital, no observation of standards for disaster management in the design, constructing and equipping hospitals, and the absence of a model for evaluating the system. Accordingly, the conducted studies were investigated for probing the performance HICS. With regard to the role of health in disaster management, it requires advanced international methods in facing disasters. Using accurate models for assessing, the investigation of preparedness of hospitals in precrisis conditions based on components such as command, communications, security, safety, development of action plans, changes in staff's attitudes through effective operational training and exercises and creation of required maneuvers seems necessary.

  14. Conflicting calculations of pelvic incidence and pelvic tilt secondary to transitional lumbosacral anatomy (lumbarization of S-1): case report.

    PubMed

    Crawford, Charles H; Glassman, Steven D; Gum, Jeffrey L; Carreon, Leah Y

    2017-01-01

    Advancements in the understanding of adult spinal deformity have led to a greater awareness of the role of the pelvis in maintaining sagittal balance and alignment. Pelvic incidence has emerged as a key radiographic measure and should closely match lumbar lordosis. As proper measurement of the pelvic incidence requires accurate identification of the S-1 endplate, lumbosacral transitional anatomy may lead to errors. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate how lumbosacral transitional anatomy may lead to errors in the measurement of pelvic parameters. The current case highlights one of the potential complications that can be avoided with awareness. The authors report the case of a 61-year-old man who had undergone prior lumbar surgeries and then presented with symptomatic lumbar stenosis and sagittal malalignment. Radiographs showed a lumbarized S-1. Prior numbering of the segments in previous surgical and radiology reports led to a pelvic incidence calculation of 61°. Corrected numbering of the segments using the lumbarized S-1 endplate led to a pelvic incidence calculation of 48°. Without recognition of the lumbosacral anatomy, overcorrection of the lumbar lordosis might have led to negative sagittal balance and the propensity to develop proximal junction failure. This case illustrates that improper identification of lumbosacral transitional anatomy may lead to errors that could affect clinical outcome. Awareness of this potential error may help improve patient outcomes.

  15. Implementation of Incident Learning in the Safety and Quality Management of Radiotherapy: The Primary Experience in a New Established Program with Advanced Technology

    PubMed Central

    Yang, Ruijie; Wang, Junjie; Zhang, Xile; Sun, Haitao; Gao, Yang; Liu, Lu; Lin, Lei

    2014-01-01

    Objective. To explore the implementation of incident learning for quality management of radiotherapy in a new established radiotherapy program. Materials and Methods. With reference to the consensus recommendations by American Association of Physicist in Medicine, an incident learning system was specifically established for reporting, investigating, and learning of individual incidents. The incidents that occurred in external beam radiotherapy from February, 2012, to February, 2014, were reported. Results. A total of 28 near misses and 5 incidents were reported. Among them, 5 originated in imaging for planning, 25 in planning, and 1 in plan transfer, commissioning, and delivery, respectively. One near miss/incident was classified as wrong patient, 7 wrong sites, 6 wrong laterality, and 5 wrong dose. Five reported incidents were all classified as grade 1/2 of dosimetric severity, 1 as grade 0, and the other 4 as grade 1 of medical severity. For the causes/contributory factors, negligence, policy not followed, and inadequate training contributed to 19, 15, and 12 near misses/incidents, respectively. The average incident rate per 100 patients treated was 0.4. Conclusion. Effective implementation of incident learning can reduce the occurrence of near misses/incidents and enhance the culture of safety. PMID:25140309

  16. In Peru, reporting male sex partners imparts significant risk of incident HIV/sexually transmitted infection: all men Engaging in same-sex behavior need prevention services.

    PubMed

    Konda, Kelika A; Lescano, Andres G; Celentano, David D; Hall, Eric; Montano, Silvia M; Kochel, Tadeusz J; Coates, Thomas J; Cáceres, Carlos F

    2013-07-01

    Detailed information on the sexual behavior of bisexual, non-gay-identified men and the relationship between same-sex behavior and HIV/sexually transmitted infection (STI) incidence is limited. This study provides information on the sexual behavior with male partners of non-gay-identified men in urban, coastal Peru and the relationship of this behavior with HIV/STI incidence. We analyzed data from 2146 non-gay-identified men with a baseline and then 2 years of annual follow-up, including detailed information on sexual behavior with up to 5 sex partners, to determine the characteristics associated with bisexual behavior. Discrete time proportional hazards models were used to determine the effect of self-reported sex with men on subsequent HIV/STI incidence. Over the 3 study visits, sex with a man was reported by 18.9% of men, 90% of whom also reported sex with a female partner. At baseline, reported bisexual behavior was associated with other sexual risk behaviors such as exchanging sex for money and increased risk of HIV, herpes simplex virus type 2, and gonorrhea. The number of study visits in which recent sex with men was reported was positively correlated with risk of other sexual risk behaviors and incident HIV, herpes simplex virus type 2, and gonorrhea. Recent sex with a man was associated with increased HIV/STI incidence (hazard ratio, 1.79; confidence interval, 1.19-2.70), after adjusting for sociodemographics and other sexual risk behaviors. Given the prevalence of recent sex with men and the relationship of this behavior with HIV/STI incidence, interventions with non-gay-identified men who have sex with men and their partners are warranted.

  17. Deaths following prehospital safety incidents: an analysis of a national database.

    PubMed

    Yardley, Iain E; Donaldson, Liam J

    2016-10-01

    Ensuring patient safety in the prehospital environment is difficult due to the unpredictable nature of the workload and the uncontrolled situations that care is provided in. Studying previous safety incidents can help understand risks and take action to mitigate them. We present an analysis of safety incidents related to patient deaths in ambulance services in England. All incidents related to a patient death reported to the National Reporting and Learning System from an ambulance service between 1 June 2010 and 31 October 2012 were subjected to thematic analysis to identify the failings that led to the incident. Sixty-nine incidents were analysed, equating to one safety incident-related death per 168 000 calls received. Just three event categories were identified: delayed response (59%, 41/69), shortfalls in clinical care (35%, 24/69) and injury during transit (6%, 4/69). Primary failures differed for the categories: problems with dispatch caused the majority of delays in response, with equipment problems and bad weather accounting for the remainder. Failure to provide necessary care was predominantly caused by clinical misjudgements by ambulance staff and equipment issues underlay incidents that led to a patient injury. Improvements intended to address safety related mortality in the ambulance service should include ensuring adequate equipping and resourcing of ambulance services, improving coordination and decision-making during dispatch and supporting individual staff members in the difficult decisions they are faced with. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

  18. Contact Sport Concussion Incidence

    PubMed Central

    Tommasone, Beth A; Valovich McLeod, Tamara C

    2006-01-01

    Reference/Citation: Koh JO, Cassidy JD, Watkinson EJ. Incidence of concussion in contact sports: a systematic review of the evidence. Brain Inj.20031790191712963556. Clinical Question: What is the incidence of concussion in various contact sports? Data Sources: Studies for the review were found through a MEDLINE search (1985–2000) and by gathering and reviewing older articles referenced in the searched articles. The main terms that were included in the search were brain injuries, brain concussion, and incidence. Text words that were also included were mild traumatic brain injury, concussion, incidence, injury, and head injury, along with the names of 8 contact sports ( American football, boxing, ice hockey, judo, karate, tae kwon do, rugby, and soccer). Study Selection: For this review, concussion was defined as “a mild brain injury resulting from a direct blow to the head resulting in physiological changes in brain function.” Cohort studies with documented incidence of concussion in athletes from 8 identified contact sports were the target of the search. All studies of male and female athletes in any of the 8 contact sports, including practices and games and regardless of level of competition, were included in the study search. Possible articles for review were identified through a 3-step screening process. Article titles were initially screened by one of the authors. If the title seemed to be relevant to the purpose of the review, the abstract of the article was then screened for inclusion/exclusion criteria as the second step. To be included, studies had to relate to the incidence of injury to the head and brain, report results relevant to concussion, involve 1 of the 8 identified contact sports, and be published between 1985 and 2000. All systematic reviews about mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) or concussion were also included. Studies were excluded if they discussed concussion due to whiplash injury or concussion associated with spinal cord injury

  19. Self-reported snoring frequency and incidence of cardiovascular disease: the Circulatory Risk in Communities Study (CIRCS).

    PubMed

    Nagayoshi, Mako; Tanigawa, Takeshi; Yamagishi, Kazumasa; Sakurai, Susumu; Kitamura, Akihiko; Kiyama, Masahiko; Okada, Takeo; Maeda, Kenji; Ohira, Tetsuya; Imano, Hironori; Sato, Shinichi; Iso, Hiroyasu

    2012-01-01

    Although associations between snoring and cardiovascular disease have been reported in several prospective studies, there is limited evidence from Asian populations. The objective of this study was to determine if there is an association between self-reported snoring frequency and the incidence of cardiovascular disease in Japanese. The subjects were 2350 men and 4163 women aged 40 to 69 years who lived in 3 communities in Japan. All subjects were participants in the Circulatory Risk in Communities Study (CIRCS) and were followed for 6 years. Incidence of cardiovascular disease during the follow-up period comprised events of myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, sudden cardiac death and stroke. During the 6-year follow-up period, 97 participants (56 men and 41 women) had cardiovascular events. After adjustment for potential confounding factors, self-reported snoring frequency was associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events among women but not men. The hazard ratios (95% CI) for cardiovascular events were 0.9 (0.4-2.0) for sometimes snoring and 2.5 (1.0-6.1) for everyday snoring in women and 0.7 (0.3-1.3) and 1.0 (0.5-2.1), respectively, in men. Further adjustment for body mass index attenuated the association in women; the respective hazard ratios for cardiovascular events were 0.9 (0.4-1.9) and 2.1 (0.9-5.4). Self-reported habitual snoring was associated with increased risk of cardiovascular events among Japanese women. Overweight may partly mediate this association.

  20. 40 CFR 68.81 - Incident investigation.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 15 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Incident investigation. 68.81 Section 68.81 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS (CONTINUED... appropriate knowledge and experience to thoroughly investigate and analyze the incident. (d) A report shall be...

  1. Incidence of Artifacts and Deviating Values in Research Data Obtained from an Anesthesia Information Management System in Children.

    PubMed

    Hoorweg, Anne-Lee J; Pasma, Wietze; van Wolfswinkel, Leo; de Graaff, Jurgen C

    2018-02-01

    Vital parameter data collected in anesthesia information management systems are often used for clinical research. The validity of this type of research is dependent on the number of artifacts. In this prospective observational cohort study, the incidence of artifacts in anesthesia information management system data was investigated in children undergoing anesthesia for noncardiac procedures. Secondary outcomes included the incidence of artifacts among deviating and nondeviating values, among the anesthesia phases, and among different anesthetic techniques. We included 136 anesthetics representing 10,236 min of anesthesia time. The incidence of artifacts was 0.5% for heart rate (95% CI: 0.4 to 0.7%), 1.3% for oxygen saturation (1.1 to 1.5%), 7.5% for end-tidal carbon dioxide (6.9 to 8.0%), 5.0% for noninvasive blood pressure (4.0 to 6.0%), and 7.3% for invasive blood pressure (5.9 to 8.8%). The incidence of artifacts among deviating values was 3.1% for heart rate (2.1 to 4.4%), 10.8% for oxygen saturation (7.6 to 14.8%), 14.1% for end-tidal carbon dioxide (13.0 to 15.2%), 14.4% for noninvasive blood pressure (10.3 to 19.4%), and 38.4% for invasive blood pressure (30.3 to 47.1%). Not all values in anesthesia information management systems are valid. The incidence of artifacts stored in the present pediatric anesthesia practice was low for heart rate and oxygen saturation, whereas noninvasive and invasive blood pressure and end-tidal carbon dioxide had higher artifact incidences. Deviating values are more often artifacts than values in a normal range, and artifacts are associated with the phase of anesthesia and anesthetic technique. Development of (automatic) data validation systems or solutions to deal with artifacts in data is warranted.

  2. Are hospitals ready to response to disasters? Challenges, opportunities and strategies of Hospital Emergency Incident Command System (HEICS).

    PubMed

    Yarmohammadian, Mohammad Hossein; Atighechian, Golrokh; Shams, Lida; Haghshenas, Abbas

    2011-08-01

    Applying an effective management system in emergency incidents provides maximum efficiency with using minimum facilities and human resources. Hospital Emergency Incident Command System (HEICS) is one of the most reliable emergency incident command systems to make hospitals more efficient and to increase patient safety. This research was to study requirements, barriers, and strategies of HEICS in hospitals affiliated to Isfahan University of Medical Sciences (IUMS). This was a qualitative research carried out in Isfahan Province, Iran during 2008-09. The study population included senior hospital managers of IUMS and key informants in emergency incident management across Isfahan Province. Sampling method was in non-random purposeful form and snowball technique was used. The research instrument for data collection was semi-structured interview; collected data was analyzed by Colaizzi Technique. Findings of study were categorized into three general categories including requirements (organizational and sub-organizational), barriers (internal and external) of HEICS establishment, and providing short, mid and long term strategies. These categories are explained in details in the main text. Regarding the existing barriers in establishment of HEICS, it is recommended that responsible authorities in different levels of health care system prepare necessary conditions for implementing such system as soon as possible via encouraging and supporting systems. This paper may help health policy makers to get reasonable framework and have comprehensive view for establishing HEICS in hospitals. It is necessary to consider requirements and viewpoints of stakeholders before any health policy making or planning.

  3. NASA rotor system research aircraft flight-test data report: Helicopter and compound configuration

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Erickson, R. E.; Kufeld, R. M.; Cross, J. L.; Hodge, R. W.; Ericson, W. F.; Carter, R. D. G.

    1984-01-01

    The flight test activities of the Rotor System Research Aircraft (RSRA), NASA 740, from June 30, 1981 to August 5, 1982 are reported. Tests were conducted in both the helicopter and compound configurations. Compound tests reconfirmed the Sikorsky flight envelope except that main rotor blade bending loads reached endurance at a speed about 10 knots lower than previously. Wing incidence changes were made from 0 to 10 deg.

  4. Incidence, source, and nature of complaints received in a large, urban emergency medical services system.

    PubMed

    Curka, P A; Pepe, P E; Zachariah, B S; Gray, G D; Matsumoto, C

    1995-06-01

    To document the incidence, source, and reasons for all complaints received by a large municipal emergency medical services (EMS) program. A retrospective review of all complaints received during three consecutive years (1990-1992) in a centralized EMS system serving a large municipality (population 2 million). All cases were categorized by year, source, and nature of the complaint. In the three study years, EMS responded to 416,892 incidents with nearly a half-million patient contacts. Concurrently, 371 complaints were received (incidence of 1.12 per thousand); 132 in 1990, 129 in 1991, and 110 in 1992. Most complaints involved either: 1) allegations of "rude or unprofessional conduct" (34%), 2) "didn't take patient to the hospital" (19%), or 3) "problems with medical treatment" (13%). Only 1.6% (n = 6) were response-time complaints. Other complaints included "lost/damaged property," "taken to the wrong hospital," "inappropriate billing," and "poor driving habits." The most common sources were patient's families (39%) and the patients themselves (30%). Only 7.8% were from health care providers. Reviews of complaints provide information regarding EMS system performance and reveal targets for quality improvement. For the EMS system examined, this study suggests a future training focus on interpersonal skills and heightened sensitivities, not only toward patients, but also toward bystanders and family members.

  5. Status Update on the NCRP Scientific Committee SC 5-1 Report: Decision Making for Late-Phase Recovery from Nuclear or Radiological Incidents - 13450

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Chen, S.Y.

    2013-07-01

    In August 2008, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued its final Protective Action Guide (PAG) for radiological dispersal device (RDD) and improvised nuclear device (IND) incidents. This document specifies protective actions for public health during the early and intermediate phases and cleanup guidance for the late phase of RDD or IND incidents, and it discusses approaches to implementing the necessary actions. However, while the PAG provides specific guidance for the early and intermediate phases, it prescribes no equivalent guidance for the late-phase cleanup actions. Instead, the PAG offers a general description of a complex process using a site-specificmore » optimization approach. This approach does not predetermine cleanup levels but approaches the problem from the factors that would bear on the final agreed-on cleanup levels. Based on this approach, the decision-making process involves multifaceted considerations including public health, the environment, and the economy, as well as socio-political factors. In an effort to fully define the process and approach to be used in optimizing late-phase recovery and site restoration following an RDD or IND incident, DHS has tasked the NCRP with preparing a comprehensive report addressing all aspects of the optimization process. Preparation of the NCRP report is a three-year (2010-2013) project assigned to a scientific committee, the Scientific Committee (SC) 5-1; the report was initially titled, Approach to Optimizing Decision Making for Late- Phase Recovery from Nuclear or Radiological Terrorism Incidents. Members of SC 5-1 represent a broad range of expertise, including homeland security, health physics, risk and decision analysis, economics, environmental remediation and radioactive waste management, and communication. In the wake of the Fukushima nuclear accident of 2011, and guided by a recent process led by the White House through a Principal Level Exercise (PLE), the optimization approach has

  6. Incidence of hyperthyroidism in Sweden.

    PubMed

    Abraham-Nordling, Mirna; Byström, Kristina; Törring, Ove; Lantz, Mikael; Berg, Gertrud; Calissendorff, Jan; Nyström, Helena Filipsson; Jansson, Svante; Jörneskog, Gun; Karlsson, F Anders; Nyström, Ernst; Ohrling, Hans; Orn, Thomas; Hallengren, Bengt; Wallin, Göran

    2011-12-01

    The incidence of hyperthyroidism has been reported in various countries to be 23-93/100,000 inhabitants per year. This extended study has evaluated the incidence for ~40% of the Swedish population of 9 million inhabitants. Sweden is considered to be iodine sufficient country. All patients including children, who were newly diagnosed with overt hyperthyroidism in the years 2003-2005, were prospectively registered in a multicenter study. The inclusion criteria are as follows: clinical symptoms and/or signs of hyperthyroidism with plasma TSH concentration below 0.2 mIE/l and increased plasma levels of free/total triiodothyronine and/or free/total thyroxine. Patients with relapse of hyperthyroidism or thyroiditis were not included. The diagnosis of Graves' disease (GD), toxic multinodular goiter (TMNG) and solitary toxic adenoma (STA), smoking, initial treatment, occurrence of thyroid-associated eye symptoms/signs, and demographic data were registered. A total of 2916 patients were diagnosed with de novo hyperthyroidism showing the total incidence of 27.6/100,000 inhabitants per year. The incidence of GD was 21.0/100,000 and toxic nodular goiter (TNG=STA+TMNG) occurred in 692 patients, corresponding to an annual incidence of 6.5/100,000. The incidence was higher in women compared with men (4.2:1). Seventy-five percent of the patients were diagnosed with GD, in whom thyroid-associated eye symptoms/signs occurred during diagnosis in every fifth patient. Geographical differences were observed. The incidence of hyperthyroidism in Sweden is in a lower range compared with international reports. Seventy-five percent of patients with hyperthyroidism had GD and 20% of them had thyroid-associated eye symptoms/signs during diagnosis. The observed geographical differences require further studies.

  7. Incidence and public health burden of sunburn among ...

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Sunburn, a preventable skin condition, is a major risk factor for skin cancer. Severe burns can result in emergency department visits and in some cases hospitalization. Many people spend hours in direct sunlight while at the beach, which could lead to sunburn. We pooled data from 13 prospective cohorts of beachgoers in the United States (n=84,411) to describe incidence of sunburn, risk factors associated with an increased risk of sunburn, and the health burden resulting from time lost from work or school, visits to the doctor, and medication use. The incidence of sunburn in this population in the 10-12 days after the beach visit was 14% (n=9,882), excluding those with sunburn at enrollment. Sunburn incidence increased with greater time spent in the sun. Approximately 8% of beachgoers only exposed for <1 hour reported sunburn, whereas almost 20% spending ≥5 hours in the sun reported sunburn (p<0.001). Those with any water contact were also more likely to report sunburn (15% versus 11%, p<0.001). Among all participants, 66% applied sunblock. When skin type was considered, the highest incidence was noted among those who report repeated sunburns (17%) or freckles when in the sun (13%) compared to 11% who typically get dark tans. The incidence of sunburn varied considerably by age group. Children ages <1 year had the lowest incidence of sunburn (2%) whereas adults between the ages of 19-35 had the highest incidence of sunburn (18%). Preliminary analyses indicate t

  8. Characteristics of homicide followed by suicide incidents in multiple states, 2003-04.

    PubMed

    Bossarte, R M; Simon, T R; Barker, L

    2006-12-01

    To calculate the prevalence of homicide followed by suicide (homicide/suicide) and provide contextual information on the incidents and demographic information about the individuals involved using data from a surveillance system that is uniquely equipped to study homicide/suicide. Data are from the National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS). This active state-based surveillance system includes data from seven states for 2003 and 13 states for 2004. The incident-level structure facilitates identification of homicide/suicide incidents. Within participating states, 65 homicide/suicide incidents (homicide rate = 0.230/100,000) occurred in 2003 and 144 incidents (homicide rate = 0.238/100,000) occurred in 2004. Most victims (58%) were a current or former intimate partner of the perpetrator. Among all male perpetrators of intimate partner homicide 30.6% were also suicides. A substantial proportion of the victims (13.7%) were the children of the perpetrator. Overall, most victims (74.6%) were female and most perpetrators were male (91.9%). A recent history of legal problems (25.3%), or financial problems (9.3%) was common among the perpetrators. The results support earlier research documenting the importance of intimate partner violence (IPV) and situational stressors on homicide/suicide. These results suggest that efforts to provide assistance to families in crisis and enhance the safety of IPV victims are needed to reduce risk for homicide/suicide. The consistency of the results from the NVDRS with those from past studies and the comprehensive information available in the NVDRS highlight the promise of this system for studying homicide/suicide incidents and for evaluating the impact of prevention policies and programs.

  9. Incidence of childhood pneumonia: facility-based surveillance estimate compared to measured incidence in a South African birth cohort study

    PubMed Central

    le Roux, David M; Myer, Landon; Nicol, Mark P; Zar, Heather J

    2015-01-01

    Background Pneumonia is the leading cause of childhood mortality and a major contributor to childhood morbidity, but accurate measurement of pneumonia incidence is challenging. We compared pneumonia incidence using a facility-based surveillance system to estimates from a cohort study conducted contemporaneously in the same community in Cape Town, South Africa. Methods A surveillance system was developed in six public sector primary care clinics and in a regional referral hospital, to detect childhood pneumonia cases. Nurses recorded all children presenting to facilities who met WHO case definitions of pneumonia, and hospital records were reviewed. Estimates of pneumonia incidence and severity were compared with incidence rates based on active surveillance in the Drakenstein Child Health Study. Results From June 2012 until September 2013, the surveillance system detected 306 pneumonia episodes in children under 1 year of age, an incidence of 0.20 episodes/child-year (e/cy) (95% CI 0.17 to 0.22 e/cy). The incidence in the cohort study from the same period was 0.27 e/cy (95% CI 0.23 to 0.32 e/cy). Pneumonia incidence in the surveillance system was almost 30% lower than in the birth cohort; incidence rate ratio 0.72 (95% CI 0.58 to 0.89). In the surveillance system, 18% were severe pneumonia cases, compared to 23% in the birth cohort, rate ratio 0.81 (95% CI 0.55 to 1.18). Conclusions In this setting, facility-based pneumonia surveillance detected fewer cases of pneumonia, and fewer severe cases, compared to the corresponding cohort study. Facility pneumonia surveillance using data collected by local healthcare workers provides a useful estimate of the epidemiology of childhood pneumonia but may underestimate incidence and severity. PMID:26685027

  10. Trends in adult chlamydia and gonorrhoea prevalence, incidence and urethral discharge case reporting in Mongolia from 1995 to 2016 - estimates using the Spectrum-STI model.

    PubMed

    Badrakh, Jugderjav; Zayasaikhan, Setsen; Jagdagsuren, Davaalkham; Enkhbat, Erdenetungalag; Jadambaa, Narantuya; Munkhbaatar, Sergelen; Taylor, Melanie; Rowley, Jane; Mahiané, Guy; Korenromp, Eline

    2017-01-01

    To estimate Mongolia's prevalence and incidence trends of gonorrhoea and chlamydia in women and men 15-49 years old to inform control of STIs and HIV, a national health sector priority. We applied the Spectrum-STI estimation model, fitting data from two national population surveys (2001 and 2008) and from routine gonorrhoea screening of pregnant women in antenatal care (1997 to 2016) adjusted for diagnostic test performance, male/female differences and missing high-risk populations. Prevalence and incidence estimates were then used to assess completeness of national case reporting. Gonorrhoea prevalence was estimated at 3.3% (95% confidence interval, 1.6-3.9%) in women and 2.9% (1.6-4.1%) in men in 2016; chlamydia prevalence levels were 19.5% (17.3-21.9%) and 15.6% (10.0-21.2%), respectively. Corresponding new incident cases in women and men in 2016 totalled 60 334 (36 147 to 121 933) and 76 893 (35 639 to 254 913) for gonorrhoea and 131 306 (84 232 to 254 316) and 148 162 (71 885 to 462 588) for chlamydia. Gonorrhoea and chlamydia prevalence declined by an estimated 33% and 11%, respectively from 2001 to 2016.Comparing numbers of symptomatic and treated cases estimated by Spectrum with gonorrhoea case reports suggests that 15% of symptomatic treated gonorrhoea cases were reported in 2016; only a minority of chlamydia episodes were reported as male urethral discharge cases. Gonorrhoea and chlamydia prevalence are estimated to have declined in Mongolia during the early 2000s, possibly associated with syndromic management in primary care facilities and improving treatment coverage since 2001 and scale up of HIV/STI prevention interventions since 2003. However, prevalence remains high with most gonorrhoea and chlamydia cases not treated or recorded in the public health system.

  11. Exploring human error in military aviation flight safety events using post-incident classification systems.

    PubMed

    Hooper, Brionny J; O'Hare, David P A

    2013-08-01

    Human error classification systems theoretically allow researchers to analyze postaccident data in an objective and consistent manner. The Human Factors Analysis and Classification System (HFACS) framework is one such practical analysis tool that has been widely used to classify human error in aviation. The Cognitive Error Taxonomy (CET) is another. It has been postulated that the focus on interrelationships within HFACS can facilitate the identification of the underlying causes of pilot error. The CET provides increased granularity at the level of unsafe acts. The aim was to analyze the influence of factors at higher organizational levels on the unsafe acts of front-line operators and to compare the errors of fixed-wing and rotary-wing operations. This study analyzed 288 aircraft incidents involving human error from an Australasian military organization occurring between 2001 and 2008. Action errors accounted for almost twice (44%) the proportion of rotary wing compared to fixed wing (23%) incidents. Both classificatory systems showed significant relationships between precursor factors such as the physical environment, mental and physiological states, crew resource management, training and personal readiness, and skill-based, but not decision-based, acts. The CET analysis showed different predisposing factors for different aspects of skill-based behaviors. Skill-based errors in military operations are more prevalent in rotary wing incidents and are related to higher level supervisory processes in the organization. The Cognitive Error Taxonomy provides increased granularity to HFACS analyses of unsafe acts.

  12. Craniofacial Duplication: A Case Report

    PubMed Central

    Suryawanshi, Pradeep; Deshpande, Mandar; Verma, Nitin; Mahendrakar, Vivek; Mahendrakar, Sandhya

    2013-01-01

    A craniofacial duplication or diprosopus is an unusual variant of conjoined twinning. The reported incidence is one in 180,000-15 million births and 35 cases have been reported till date. The phenotype is wide, with the partial duplication of a few facial structures to complete dicephalus. A complete duplication is associated with a high incidence of anomalies in the central nervous system, cardiovascular system, gastrointestinal system and the respiratory system, whereas no major anomalies are found in the infants with a partial duplication. A term baby with the features of a craniofacial duplication has been described, with the proposed theories on embryogenesis and a brief review of the literature. PMID:24179933

  13. Self-Reported Periodontitis and Incident Type 2 Diabetes among Male Workers from a 5-Year Follow-Up to MY Health Up Study

    PubMed Central

    Miyawaki, Atsushi; Toyokawa, Satoshi; Inoue, Kazuo; Miyoshi, Yuji; Kobayashi, Yasuki

    2016-01-01

    Aims The purpose of this study was to examine whether periodontitis is associated with incident type 2 diabetes in a Japanese male worker cohort. Methods The study participants were Japanese men, aged 36–55 years, without diabetes. Data were extracted from the MY Health Up study, consisting of self-administered questionnaire surveys at baseline and following annual health examinations for an insurance company in Japan. The oral health status of the participants was classified by two self-reported indicators: (1) gingival hemorrhage and (2) tooth loosening. Type 2 diabetes incidence was determined by self-reporting or blood test data. Modified Poisson regression approach was used to estimate the relative risks and the 95% confidence intervals of incident diabetes with periodontitis. Covariates included age, body mass index, family history of diabetes, hypertension, current smoking habits, alcohol use, dyslipidemia, and exercise habits. Results Of the 2895 candidates identified at baseline in 2004, 2469 men were eligible for follow-up analysis, 133 of whom were diagnosed with diabetes during the 5-year follow-up period. Tooth loosening was associated with incident diabetes [adjusted relative risk = 1.73, 95% confidence interval = 1.14–2.64] after adjusting for other confounding factors. Gingival hemorrhage displayed a similar trend but was not significantly associated with incident diabetes [adjusted relative risk = 1.32, 95% confidence interval = 0.95–1.85]. Conclusions Tooth loosening is an independent predictor of incident type 2 diabetes in Japanese men. PMID:27115749

  14. Better Incident Response with SCOT

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Bruner, Todd

    2015-04-01

    SCOT is an incident response management system and knowledge base designed for incident responders by incident responders. SCOT increases the effectiveness of the team without adding undue burdens. Focused on reducing the friction between analysts and their tools, SCOT enables analysts to document and share their research and response efforts in near real time. Automatically identifying indicators and correlating those indicators, SCOT helps analysts discover and respond to advanced threats.

  15. A Case Study in the Identification of Critical Factors Leading to Successful Implementation of the Hospital Incident Command System

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-06-01

    California EMSA, National Incident Management System, NIMS, hospital preparedness program, Nursing Home Incident Command System, NHICS, Hospital...The International Journal of Trauma Nursing published an article in 2007 entitled “Organization of a Hospital-based Victim Decontamination Plan...Journal of Trauma Nursing 5, no. 4 (October– November 2007): 119–123. 32 Ellen Lanser May, “Scarred but Smarter: Lessons Learned from Florida’s 2004

  16. Implementation and evaluation of a prototype consumer reporting system for patient safety events.

    PubMed

    Weingart, Saul N; Weissman, Joel S; Zimmer, Karen P; Giannini, Robert C; Quigley, Denise D; Hunter, Lauren E; Ridgely, M Susan; Schneider, Eric C

    2017-08-01

    No methodologically robust system exists for capturing consumer-generated patient safety reports. To address this challenge, we developed and pilot-tested a prototype consumer reporting system for patient safety, the Health Care Safety Hotline. Mixed methods evaluation. The Hotline was implemented in two US healthcare systems from 1 February 2014 through 30 June 2015. Patients, family members and caregivers associated with two US healthcare systems. A consumer-oriented incident reporting system for telephone or web-based administration was developed to elicit medical mistakes and care-related injuries. Key informant interviews, measurement of website traffic and analysis of completed reports. Key informants indicated that Hotline participation was motivated by senior leaders' support and alignment with existing quality and safety initiatives. During the measurement period from 1 October 2014 through 30 June 2015, the home page had 1530 visitors with a unique IP address. During its 17 months of operation, the Hotline received 37 completed reports including 20 mistakes without harm and 15 mistakes with injury. The largest category of mistake concerned problems with diagnosis or advice from a health practitioner. Hotline reports prompted quality reviews, an education intervention, and patient follow-ups. While generating fewer reports than its capacity to manage, the Health Care Safety Hotline demonstrated the feasibility of consumer-oriented patient safety reporting. Further research is needed to understand how to increase consumers' use of these systems. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press in association with the International Society for Quality in Health Care. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

  17. Identifying Meningitis During an Anthrax Mass Casualty Incident: Systematic Review of Systemic Anthrax Since 1880.

    PubMed

    Katharios-Lanwermeyer, Stefan; Holty, Jon-Erik; Person, Marissa; Sejvar, James; Haberling, Dana; Tubbs, Heather; Meaney-Delman, Dana; Pillai, Satish K; Hupert, Nathaniel; Bower, William A; Hendricks, Katherine

    2016-06-15

    Bacillus anthracis, the causative agent of anthrax, is a potential bioterrorism agent. Anthrax meningitis is a common manifestation of B. anthracis infection, has high mortality, and requires more aggressive treatment than anthrax without meningitis. Its rapid identification and treatment are essential for successful management of an anthrax mass casualty incident. Three hundred six published reports from 1880 through 2013 met predefined inclusion criteria. We calculated descriptive statistics for abstracted cases and conducted multivariable regression on separate derivation and validation cohorts to identify clinical diagnostic and prognostic factors for anthrax meningitis. One hundred thirty-two of 363 (36%) cases with systemic anthrax met anthrax meningitis criteria. Severe headache, altered mental status, meningeal signs, and other neurological signs at presentation independently predicted meningitis in the derivation cohort and were tested as a 4-item assessment tool for use during anthrax mass casualty incidents. Presence of any 1 factor on admission had a sensitivity for finding anthrax meningitis of 89% (83%) in the adult (pediatric) validation cohorts. Anthrax meningitis was unlikely in the absence of any of these signs or symptoms (likelihood ratio [LR]- = 0.12 [0.19] for adult [pediatric] cohorts), while presence of 2 or more made meningitis very likely (LR+ = 26.5 [30.0]). Survival of anthrax meningitis was predicted by treatment with a bactericidal agent (P = .005) and use of multiple antimicrobials (P = .01). We developed an evidence-based assessment tool for screening patients for meningitis during an anthrax mass casualty incident. Its use could improve both patient outcomes and resource allocation in such an event. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America 2016. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.

  18. Developing an incident management system to support Ebola response -- Liberia, July-August 2014.

    PubMed

    Pillai, Satish K; Nyenswah, Tolbert; Rouse, Edward; Arwady, M Allison; Forrester, Joseph D; Hunter, Jennifer C; Matanock, Almea; Ayscue, Patrick; Monroe, Benjamin; Schafer, Ilana J; Poblano, Luis; Neatherlin, John; Montgomery, Joel M; De Cock, Kevin M

    2014-10-17

    The ongoing Ebola virus disease (Ebola) outbreak in West Africa is the largest and most sustained Ebola epidemic recorded, with 6,574 cases. Among the five affected countries of West Africa (Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Nigeria, and Senegal), Liberia has had the highest number cases (3,458). This epidemic has severely strained the public health and health care infrastructure of Liberia, has resulted in restrictions in civil liberties, and has disrupted international travel. As part of the initial response, the Liberian Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MOHSW) developed a national task force and technical expert committee to oversee the management of the Ebola-related activities. During the third week of July 2014, CDC deployed a team of epidemiologists, data management specialists, emergency management specialists, and health communicators to assist MOHSW in its response to the growing Ebola epidemic. One aspect of CDC's response was to work with MOHSW in instituting incident management system (IMS) principles to enhance the organization of the response. This report describes MOHSW's Ebola response structure as of mid-July, the plans made during the initial assessment of the response structure, the implementation of interventions aimed at improving the system, and plans for further development of the response structure for the Ebola epidemic in Liberia.

  19. 18 CFR 12.10 - Reporting safety-related incidents.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ...-related incidents. 12.10 Section 12.10 Conservation of Power and Water Resources FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION, DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY REGULATIONS UNDER THE FEDERAL POWER ACT SAFETY OF WATER POWER PROJECTS AND... providing a copy of a clipping from a newspaper article, if available. (4) For the purposes of this...

  20. Theory and analysis of a large field polarization imaging system with obliquely incident light.

    PubMed

    Lu, Xiaotian; Jin, Weiqi; Li, Li; Wang, Xia; Qiu, Su; Liu, Jing

    2018-02-05

    Polarization imaging technology provides information about not only the irradiance of a target but also the polarization degree and angle of polarization, which indicates extensive application potential. However, polarization imaging theory is based on paraxial optics. When a beam of obliquely incident light passes an analyser, the direction of light propagation is not perpendicular to the surface of the analyser and the applicability of the traditional paraxial optical polarization imaging theory is challenged. This paper investigates a theoretical model of a polarization imaging system with obliquely incident light and establishes a polarization imaging transmission model with a large field of obliquely incident light. In an imaging experiment with an integrating sphere light source and rotatable polarizer, the polarization imaging transmission model is verified and analysed for two cases of natural light and linearly polarized light incidence. Although the results indicate that the theoretical model is consistent with the experimental results, the theoretical model distinctly differs from the traditional paraxial approximation model. The results prove the accuracy and necessity of the theoretical model and the theoretical guiding significance for theoretical and systematic research of large field polarization imaging.

  1. Risk-based Classification of Incidents

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Greenwell, William S.; Knight, John C.; Strunk, Elisabeth A.

    2003-01-01

    As the penetration of software into safety-critical systems progresses, accidents and incidents involving software will inevitably become more frequent. Identifying lessons from these occurrences and applying them to existing and future systems is essential if recurrences are to be prevented. Unfortunately, investigative agencies do not have the resources to fully investigate every incident under their jurisdictions and domains of expertise and thus must prioritize certain occurrences when allocating investigative resources. In the aviation community, most investigative agencies prioritize occurrences based on the severity of their associated losses, allocating more resources to accidents resulting in injury to passengers or extensive aircraft damage. We argue that this scheme is inappropriate because it undervalues incidents whose recurrence could have a high potential for loss while overvaluing fairly straightforward accidents involving accepted risks. We then suggest a new strategy for prioritizing occurrences based on the risk arising from incident recurrence.

  2. Patient safety in primary allied health care: what can we learn from incidents in a Dutch exploratory cohort study?

    PubMed

    van Dulmen, Simone A; Tacken, Margot A J B; Staal, J Bart; Gaal, Sander; Wensing, Michel; Nijhuis-van der Sanden, Maria W G

    2011-12-01

    Research on patient safety in allied healthcare is scarce. Our aim was to document patient safety in primary allied healthcare in the Netherlands and to identify factors associated with incidents. DESIGN AND SUBJECT: A retrospective study of 1000 patient records in a representative sample of 20 allied healthcare practices was combined with a prospective incident-reporting study. All records were reviewed by trained researchers to identify patient safety incidents. The incidents were classified and analyzed, using the Prevention and Recovery Information System for Monitoring and Analysis method. Factors associated with incidents were examined in a logistic regression analysis. In 18 out of 1000 (1.8%; 95% confidence interval: 1.0-2.6) records an incident was detected. The main causes of incidents were related to errors in clinical decisions (89%), communication with other healthcare providers (67%), and monitoring (56%). The probability of incidents was higher if more care providers had been involved and if patient records were incomplete (37% of the records). No incidents were reported in the prospective study. The absolute number of incidents was low, which could imply a low risk of harm in Dutch primary allied healthcare. Nevertheless, incompleteness of the patient records and the fact that incidents were mainly caused through human actions suggest that a focus on clinical reasoning and record keeping is needed to further enhance patient safety. Improvements in record keeping will be necessary before accurate incident reporting will be feasible and valid.

  3. Causal Factors and Adverse Events of Aviation Accidents and Incidents Related to Integrated Vehicle Health Management

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Reveley, Mary S.; Briggs, Jeffrey L.; Evans, Joni K.; Jones, Sharon M.; Kurtoglu, Tolga; Leone, Karen M.; Sandifer, Carl E.

    2011-01-01

    Causal factors in aviation accidents and incidents related to system/component failure/malfunction (SCFM) were examined for Federal Aviation Regulation Parts 121 and 135 operations to establish future requirements for the NASA Aviation Safety Program s Integrated Vehicle Health Management (IVHM) Project. Data analyzed includes National Transportation Safety Board (NSTB) accident data (1988 to 2003), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) incident data (1988 to 2003), and Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) incident data (1993 to 2008). Failure modes and effects analyses were examined to identify possible modes of SCFM. A table of potential adverse conditions was developed to help evaluate IVHM research technologies. Tables present details of specific SCFM for the incidents and accidents. Of the 370 NTSB accidents affected by SCFM, 48 percent involved the engine or fuel system, and 31 percent involved landing gear or hydraulic failure and malfunctions. A total of 35 percent of all SCFM accidents were caused by improper maintenance. Of the 7732 FAA database incidents affected by SCFM, 33 percent involved landing gear or hydraulics, and 33 percent involved the engine and fuel system. The most frequent SCFM found in ASRS were turbine engine, pressurization system, hydraulic main system, flight management system/flight management computer, and engine. Because the IVHM Project does not address maintenance issues, and landing gear and hydraulic systems accidents are usually not fatal, the focus of research should be those SCFMs that occur in the engine/fuel and flight control/structures systems as well as power systems.

  4. Personal Electronic Devices and Their Interference with Aircraft Systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ross, Elden; Ely, Jay J. (Technical Monitor)

    2001-01-01

    A compilation of data on personal electronic devices (PEDs) attributed to having created anomalies with aircraft systems. Charts and tables display 14 years of incidents reported by pilots to the Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS). Affected systems, incident severity, sources of anomaly detection, and the most frequently identified PEDs are some of the more significant data. Several reports contain incidents of aircraft off course when all systems indicated on course and of critical events that occurred during landings and takeoffs. Additionally, PEDs that should receive priority in testing are identified.

  5. Rodenticide incidents of exposure and adverse effects on non-raptor birds

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Vyas, Nimish B.

    2017-01-01

    Interest in the adverse effects of rodenticides on birds has focused primarily on raptors. However, non-raptor birds are also poisoned (rodenticide exposure resulting in adverse effects including mortality) by rodenticides through consumption of the rodenticide bait and contaminated prey. A literature search for rodenticide incidents (evidence of exposure to a rodenticide, adverse effects, or exposure to placebo baits) involving non-raptor birds returned 641 records spanning the years 1931 to 2016. The incidents included 17 orders, 58 families, and 190 non-raptor bird species. Nineteen anticoagulant and non-anticoagulant rodenticide active ingredients were associated with the incidents. The number of incidents and species detected were compared by surveillance method. An incident was considered to have been reported through passive surveillance if it was voluntarily reported to the authorities whereas the report of an incident found through field work that was conducted with the objective of documenting adverse effects on birds was determined to be from active surveillance. More incidents were reported from passive surveillance than with active surveillance but a significantly greater number of species were detected in proportion to the number of incidents found through active surveillance than with passive surveillance (z = 7.61, p < 0.01). Results suggest that reliance on only one surveillance method can underestimate the number of incidents that have occurred and the number of species that are affected. Although rodenticides are used worldwide, incident records were found from only 15 countries. Therefore, awareness of the breadth of species diversity of non-raptor bird poisonings from rodenticides may increase incident reportings and can strengthen the predictions of harm characterized by risk assessments.

  6. Using administrative medical claims data to supplement state disease registry systems for reporting zoonotic infections.

    PubMed

    Jones, Stephen G; Coulter, Steven; Conner, William

    2013-01-01

    To determine what, if any, opportunity exists in using administrative medical claims data for supplemental reporting to the state infectious disease registry system. Cases of five tick-borne (Lyme disease (LD), babesiosis, ehrlichiosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF), tularemia) and two mosquito-borne diseases (West Nile virus, La Crosse viral encephalitis) reported to the Tennessee Department of Health during 2000-2009 were selected for study. Similarly, medically diagnosed cases from a Tennessee-based managed care organization (MCO) claims data warehouse were extracted for the same time period. MCO and Tennessee Department of Health incidence rates were compared using a complete randomized block design within a general linear mixed model to measure potential supplemental reporting opportunity. MCO LD incidence was 7.7 times higher (p<0.001) than that reported to the state, possibly indicating significant under-reporting (∼196 unreported cases per year). MCO data also suggest about 33 cases of RMSF go unreported each year in Tennessee (p<0.001). Three cases of babesiosis were discovered using claims data, a significant finding as this disease was only recently confirmed in Tennessee. Data sharing between MCOs and health departments for vaccine information already exists (eg, the Vaccine Safety Datalink Rapid Cycle Analysis project). There may be a significant opportunity in Tennessee to supplement the current passive infectious disease reporting system with administrative claims data, particularly for LD and RMSF. There are limitations with administrative claims data, but health plans may help bridge data gaps and support the federal administration's vision of combining public and private data into one source.

  7. Self-Reported Sleep Duration, Napping, and Incident Heart Failure: Prospective Associations in the British Regional Heart Study.

    PubMed

    Wannamethee, S Goya; Papacosta, Olia; Lennon, Lucy; Whincup, Peter H

    2016-09-01

    To examine the associations between self-reported nighttime sleep duration and daytime sleep and incident heart failure (HF) in men with and without preexisting cardiovascular disease (CVD). Population-based prospective study. General practices in 24 British towns. Men aged 60-79 without prevalent HF followed for 9 years (N = 3,723). Information on incident HF cases was obtained from primary care records. Assessment of sleep was based on self-reported sleep duration at night and daytime napping. Self-reported short nighttime sleep duration and daytime sleep of longer than 1 hour were associated with preexisting CVD, breathlessness, depression, poor health, physical inactivity, and manual social class. In all men, self-reported daytime sleep of longer than 1 hour duration was associated with significantly greater risk of HF after adjustment for potential confounders (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) = 1.69, 95% CI = 1.06-2.71) than in those who reported no daytime napping. Self-reported nighttime sleep duration was not associated with HF risk except in men with preexisting CVD (<6 hours: aHR = 2.91, 95% CI = 1.31-6.45; 6 hours: aHR = 1.89, 95% CI = 0.89-4.03; 8 hours: aHR = 1.29, 95% CI = 0.61-2.71; ≥9 hours: aHR = 1.80, 905% CI = 0.71-4.61 vs nighttime sleep of 7 hours). Snoring was not associated with HF risk. Self-reported daytime napping of longer than 1 hour is associated with greater risk of HF in older men. Self-reported short sleep (<6 hours) in men with CVD is associated with particularly high risk of developing HF. © 2016 The Authors. The Journal of the American Geriatrics Society published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of The American Geriatrics Society.

  8. Nurses' attitudes towards the reporting of violence in the emergency department.

    PubMed

    Hogarth, Kathryn M; Beattie, Jill; Morphet, Julia

    2016-05-01

    The incidence of workplace violence against nurses in emergency departments is underreported. Thus, the true nature and frequency of violent incidents remains unknown. It is therefore difficult to address the problem. To identify the attitudes, barriers and enablers of emergency nurses to the reporting of workplace violence. Using a phenomenological approach, two focus groups were conducted at a tertiary emergency department. The data were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using thematic analysis. Violent incidents in this emergency department were underreported. Nurses accepted violence as part of their normal working day, and therefore were less likely to report it. Violent incidents were not defined as 'violence' if no physical injury was sustained, therefore it was not reported. Nurses were also motivated to report formally in order to protect themselves from any possible future complaints made by perpetrators. The current formal reporting system was a major barrier to reporting because it was difficult and time consuming to use. Nurses reported violence using methods other than the designated reporting system. While emergency nurses do report violence, they do not use the formal reporting system. When they did use the formal reporting system they were motivated to do so in order to protect themselves. As a consequence of underreporting, the nature and extent of workplace violence remains unknown. Copyright © 2015 College of Emergency Nursing Australasia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Self-Reported Snoring Frequency and Incidence of Cardiovascular Disease: The Circulatory Risk in Communities Study (CIRCS)

    PubMed Central

    Nagayoshi, Mako; Tanigawa, Takeshi; Yamagishi, Kazumasa; Sakurai, Susumu; Kitamura, Akihiko; Kiyama, Masahiko; Okada, Takeo; Maeda, Kenji; Ohira, Tetsuya; Imano, Hironori; Sato, Shinichi; Iso, Hiroyasu

    2012-01-01

    Background Although associations between snoring and cardiovascular disease have been reported in several prospective studies, there is limited evidence from Asian populations. The objective of this study was to determine if there is an association between self-reported snoring frequency and the incidence of cardiovascular disease in Japanese. Methods The subjects were 2350 men and 4163 women aged 40 to 69 years who lived in 3 communities in Japan. All subjects were participants in the Circulatory Risk in Communities Study (CIRCS) and were followed for 6 years. Incidence of cardiovascular disease during the follow-up period comprised events of myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, sudden cardiac death and stroke. Results During the 6-year follow-up period, 97 participants (56 men and 41 women) had cardiovascular events. After adjustment for potential confounding factors, self-reported snoring frequency was associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events among women but not men. The hazard ratios (95% CI) for cardiovascular events were 0.9 (0.4–2.0) for sometimes snoring and 2.5 (1.0–6.1) for everyday snoring in women and 0.7 (0.3–1.3) and 1.0 (0.5–2.1), respectively, in men. Further adjustment for body mass index attenuated the association in women; the respective hazard ratios for cardiovascular events were 0.9 (0.4–1.9) and 2.1 (0.9–5.4). Conclusions Self-reported habitual snoring was associated with increased risk of cardiovascular events among Japanese women. Overweight may partly mediate this association. PMID:22447210

  10. Incidence trends of viral hepatitis A, B, and C seropositivity over eight years of surveillance in Saudi Arabia.

    PubMed

    Memish, Ziad A; Knawy, Bandar Al; El-Saed, Aiman

    2010-02-01

    In Saudi Arabia, viral hepatitis ranked the second most common reportable viral disease in 2007, with almost 9000 new cases diagnosed in that year. The objective of this study was to determine the incidence trends of viral hepatitis seropositivity among the population served by the National Guard Health Affairs (NGHA) hospitals in the central, eastern, and western Saudi Arabia regions. The surveillance system at King Abdulaziz Medical City in Riyadh receives weekly reports of laboratory confirmed hepatitis A virus (HAV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV) cases from all NGHA-served regions. In this study the viral hepatitis surveillance data for the period from January 2000 through December 2007 were analyzed. Between 2000 and 2007, a total of 14 224 seropositive cases of viral hepatitis were reported to the surveillance system. The average annual incidence of seropositivity per 100 000 served population was highest for HBV (104.6), followed by HCV (78.4), and lowest for HAV (13.6). Saudis had higher HBV and HAV incidence, but lower HCV incidence compared to non-Saudis. Over the eight years (2000-2007), the incidence of all three viral hepatitis types showed a 20-30% declining trend. Only HAV incidence followed a clear seasonal cyclic pattern. Despite the declining trend over the eight-year period, viral hepatitis, especially that caused by HBV and HCV, remains a major public health problem in Saudi Arabia, and has probably been underestimated in previous reports. There is a need for more comprehensive prevention strategies. Copyright 2009 International Society for Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Preventable mix-ups of tuberculin and vaccines: reports to the US Vaccine and Drug Safety Reporting Systems.

    PubMed

    Chang, Soju; Pool, Vitali; O'Connell, Kathryn; Polder, Jacquelyn A; Iskander, John; Sweeney, Colleen; Ball, Robert; Braun, M Miles

    2008-01-01

    Errors involving the mix-up of tuberculin purified protein derivative (PPD) and vaccines leading to adverse reactions and unnecessary medical management have been reported previously. To determine the frequency of PPD-vaccine mix-ups reported to the US Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) and the Adverse Event Reporting System (AERS), characterize adverse events and clusters involving mix-ups and describe reported contributory factors. We reviewed AERS reports from 1969 to 2005 and VAERS reports from 1990 to 2005. We defined a mix-up error event as an incident in which a single patient or a cluster of patients inadvertently received vaccine instead of a PPD product or received a PPD product instead of vaccine. We defined a cluster as inadvertent administration of PPD or vaccine products to more than one patient in the same facility within 1 month. Of 115 mix-up events identified, 101 involved inadvertent administration of vaccines instead of PPD. Product confusion involved PPD and multiple vaccines. The annual number of reported mix-ups increased from an average of one event per year in the early 1990s to an average of ten events per year in the early part of this decade. More than 240 adults and children were affected and the majority reported local injection site reactions. Four individuals were hospitalized (all recovered) after receiving the wrong products. Several patients were inappropriately started on tuberculosis prophylaxis as a result of a vaccine local reaction being interpreted as a positive tuberculin skin test. Reported potential contributory factors involved both system factors (e.g. similar packaging) and human errors (e.g. failure to read label before product administration). To prevent PPD-vaccine mix-ups, proper storage, handling and administration of vaccine and PPD products is necessary.

  12. Incidence of tempero-mandibular joint pain dysfunction syndrome in rural population.

    PubMed

    Rao, M B; Rao, C B

    1981-08-01

    The incidence and clinical course of the tempero-mandibular joint dysfunction syndrome was studied among 1187 subjects over the age of 16, who attended the rural dental consultations held at various places in the State of Karnataka, India. The study revealed an incidence of 20.3%. Contracy to earlier reports, the incidence was higher in males than in females and more married females were affected than unmarried. Clicking appeared to be the predominant symptom in all age groups. The incidence of pain increased with age. Of all patients 43.75% were not aware of a clicking joint; 53.7% persons with clicking and 14% with pain were not disturbed by their symptoms. The findings of the study failed to establish any relationship between unilateral missing teeth and the occurrence of the pain dysfunction syndrome (PDS). The chewing habits (betel leaf, tobacco, betel nut) which are prevalent in India appeared to have no effect on the incidence of PDS. It is suggested that more epidemiological studies should be carried out in different parts of the world with varying social, political and economic systems to enable better understanding of the global incidence of PDS.

  13. The incidence and aetiology of acute pancreatitis across Europe.

    PubMed

    Roberts, Stephen E; Morrison-Rees, Sian; John, Ann; Williams, John G; Brown, Tim H; Samuel, David G

    Acute pancreatitis is increasingly one of the most important acute gastrointestinal conditions throughout much of the world, although incidence and aetiology varies across countries and regions. This study investigated regional and national patterns in the incidence and aetiology of acute pancreatitis, demographic patterns in incidence and trends over time in incidence across Europe. A structured review of acute pancreatitis incidence and aetiology from studies of hospitalised patient case series, cohort studies or other population based studies from 1989 to 2015 and a review of trends in incidence from 1970 to 2015 across all 51 European states. The incidence of acute pancreatitis was reported from 17 countries across Europe and ranged from 4.6 to 100 per 100 000 population. Incidence was usually highest in eastern or northern Europe, although reported rates often varied according to case ascertainment criteria. Of 20 studies that reported on trends in incidence, all but three show percentage increases over time (overall median increase = 3.4% per annum; range = -0.4%-73%). The highest ratios of gallstone to alcohol aetiologies were identified in southern Europe (Greece, Turkey, Italy and Croatia) with lowest ratios mainly in eastern Europe (Latvia, Finland, Romania, Hungary, Russia and Lithuania). The incidence of acute pancreatitis varies across Europe. Gallstone is the dominant aetiology in southern Europe and alcohol in eastern Europe with intermediate ratios in northern and western Europe. Acute pancreatitis continues to increase throughout most of Europe. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  14. Policy Options to Address Crucial Communication Gaps in the Incident Command System

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-09-01

    California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection COML Communications Unit Leader COMT Communication Technician EBRPD East Bay Regional Parks...Laguna Fire 1970 - One of California’s Worst Wildfires.” Available at http://www.cccarto.com/cal_wildfire/laguna/fire.html, Accessed August 10, 2012...NIMS - The Evolution of the National Incident Management System.” Fire Rescue Magazine, August 2011. 15 compatibility, and department emergency

  15. The Boston Marathon Bombings Mass Casualty Incident: One Emergency Department's Information Systems Challenges and Opportunities.

    PubMed

    Landman, Adam; Teich, Jonathan M; Pruitt, Peter; Moore, Samantha E; Theriault, Jennifer; Dorisca, Elizabeth; Harris, Sheila; Crim, Heidi; Lurie, Nicole; Goralnick, Eric

    2015-07-01

    Emergency department (ED) information systems are designed to support efficient and safe emergency care. These same systems often play a critical role in disasters to facilitate real-time situation awareness, information management, and communication. In this article, we describe one ED's experiences with ED information systems during the April 2013 Boston Marathon bombings. During postevent debriefings, staff shared that our ED information systems and workflow did not optimally support this incident; we found challenges with our unidentified patient naming convention, real-time situational awareness of patient location, and documentation of assessments, orders, and procedures. As a result, before our next mass gathering event, we changed our unidentified patient naming convention to more clearly distinguish multiple, simultaneous, unidentified patients. We also made changes to the disaster registration workflow and enhanced roles and responsibilities for updating electronic systems. Health systems should conduct disaster drills using their ED information systems to identify inefficiencies before an actual incident. ED information systems may require enhancements to better support disasters. Newer technologies, such as radiofrequency identification, could further improve disaster information management and communication but require careful evaluation and implementation into daily ED workflow. Copyright © 2014 American College of Emergency Physicians. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Adolescent chronic fatigue syndrome: prevalence, incidence, and morbidity.

    PubMed

    Nijhof, Sanne L; Maijer, Kimberley; Bleijenberg, Gijs; Uiterwaal, Cuno S P M; Kimpen, Jan L L; van de Putte, Elise M

    2011-05-01

    To determine nationwide general practitioner (GP)-diagnosed prevalence and pediatrician-diagnosed incidence rates of adolescent chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), and to assess CFS morbidity. We collected data from a cross-sectional national sample among GPs and prospective registration of new patients with CFS in all pediatric hospital departments in the Netherlands. Study participants were adolescents aged 10 to 18 years. A representative sample of GPs completed questionnaires on the prevalence of CFS in their adolescent patients. Pediatric hospital departments prospectively reported new cases of CFS in adolescent patients. For every new reported case, a questionnaire was sent to the reporting pediatrician and the reported patient to assess CFS morbidity. Prevalence was estimated through the data from GP questionnaires and incidence was estimated on the basis of cases newly reported by pediatricians from January to December 2008. Prevalence was calculated as 111 per 100 000 adolescents and incidence as 12 per 100 000 adolescents per year. Of newly reported patients with CFS, 91% scored at or above cutoff points for severe fatigue and 93% at or above the cutoff points for physical impairment. Forty-five percent of patients with CFS reported >50% school absence during the previous 6 months. Clinically diagnosed incidence and prevalence rates show that adolescent CFS is uncommon compared with chronic fatigue. The primary adverse impact of CFS is extreme disability associated with considerable school absence.

  17. Analysing malaria incidence at the small area level for developing a spatial decision support system: A case study in Kalaburagi, Karnataka, India.

    PubMed

    Shekhar, S; Yoo, E-H; Ahmed, S A; Haining, R; Kadannolly, S

    2017-02-01

    Spatial decision support systems have already proved their value in helping to reduce infectious diseases but to be effective they need to be designed to reflect local circumstances and local data availability. We report the first stage of a project to develop a spatial decision support system for infectious diseases for Karnataka State in India. The focus of this paper is on malaria incidence and we draw on small area data on new cases of malaria analysed in two-monthly time intervals over the period February 2012 to January 2016 for Kalaburagi taluk, a small area in Karnataka. We report the results of data mapping and cluster detection (identifying areas of excess risk) including evaluating the temporal persistence of excess risk and the local conditions with which high counts are statistically associated. We comment on how this work might feed into a practical spatial decision support system. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Ovarian Cancer Incidence Corrected for Oophorectomy

    PubMed Central

    Baldwin, Lauren A.; Chen, Quan; Tucker, Thomas C.; White, Connie G.; Ore, Robert N.; Huang, Bin

    2017-01-01

    Current reported incidence rates for ovarian cancer may significantly underestimate the true rate because of the inclusion of women in the calculations who are not at risk for ovarian cancer due to prior benign salpingo-oophorectomy (SO). We have considered prior SO to more realistically estimate risk for ovarian cancer. Kentucky Health Claims Data, International Classification of Disease 9 (ICD-9) codes, Current Procedure Terminology (CPT) codes, and Kentucky Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) Data were used to identify women who have undergone SO in Kentucky, and these women were removed from the at-risk pool in order to re-assess incidence rates to more accurately represent ovarian cancer risk. The protective effect of SO on the population was determined on an annual basis for ages 5–80+ using data from the years 2009–2013. The corrected age-adjusted rates of ovarian cancer that considered SO ranged from 33% to 67% higher than age-adjusted rates from the standard population. Correction of incidence rates for ovarian cancer by accounting for women with prior SO gives a better understanding of risk for this disease faced by women. The rates of ovarian cancer were substantially higher when SO was taken into consideration than estimates from the standard population. PMID:28368298

  19. Explaining implementation behaviour of the National Incident Management System (NIMS).

    PubMed

    Jensen, Jessica; Youngs, George

    2015-04-01

    This paper explains the perceived implementation behaviour of counties in the United States with respect to the National Incident Management System (NIMS). The system represents a massive and historic policy mandate designed to restructure, standardise and thereby unify the efforts of a wide variety of emergency management entities. Specifically, this study examined variables identified in the NIMS and policy literature that might influence the behavioural intentions and actual behaviour of counties. It found that three key factors limit or promote how counties intend to implement NIMS and how they actually implement the system: policy characteristics related to NIMS, implementer views and a measure of local capacity. One additional variable-inter-organisational characteristics-was found to influence only actual behaviour. This study's findings suggest that the purpose underlying NIMS may not be fulfilled and confirm what disaster research has long suggested: the potential for standardisation in emergency management is limited. © 2015 The Author(s). Disasters © Overseas Development Institute, 2015.

  20. Invasive cancer incidence - Puerto Rico, 2007-2011.

    PubMed

    O'Neil, Mary Elizabeth; Henley, S Jane; Singh, Simple D; Wilson, Reda J; Ortiz-Ortiz, Karen J; Ríos, Naydi Pérez; Torres Cintrón, Carlos R; Luna, Guillermo Tortolero; Zavala Zegarra, Diego E; Ryerson, A Blythe

    2015-04-17

    Cancer is a leading cause of morbidity and death in Puerto Rico. To set a baseline for identifying new trends and patterns of cancer incidence, Puerto Rico Central Cancer Registry staff and CDC analyzed data from Puerto Rico included in U.S. Cancer Statistics (USCS) for 2007-2011, the most recent data available. This is the first report of invasive cancer incidence rates for 2007-2011 among Puerto Rican residents by sex, age, cancer site, and municipality. Cancer incidence rates in Puerto Rico were compared with those in the U.S. population for 2011. A total of 68,312 invasive cancers were diagnosed and reported in Puerto Rico during 2007-2011. The average annual incidence rate was 330 cases per 100,000 persons. The cancer sites with the highest cancer incidence rates included prostate (152), female breast (84), and colon and rectum (43). Cancer incidence rates varied by municipality, particularly for prostate, lung and bronchus, and colon and rectum cancers. In 2011, cancer incidence rates in Puerto Rico were lower for all cancer sites and lung and bronchus, but higher for prostate and thyroid cancers, compared with rates within the U.S. Identifying these variations can aid evaluation of factors associated with high incidence, such as cancer screening practices, and development of targeted cancer prevention and control efforts. Public health professionals can monitor cancer incidence trends and use these findings to evaluate the impact of prevention efforts, such as legislation prohibiting tobacco use in the workplace and public places and the Puerto Rico Cessation Quitline in decreasing lung and other tobacco-related cancers.

  1. Rating the Relevance of QUORUM-Selected ASRS Incident Narratives to a "Controlled Flight into Terrain" Accident

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    McGreevy, Michael W.; Statler, Irving C.

    1998-01-01

    An exploratory study was conducted to identify commercial aviation incidents that are relevant to a "controlled flight into terrain" (CFIT) accident using a NASA-developed text processing method. The QUORUM method was used to rate 67820 incident narratives, virtually all of the narratives in the Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) database, according to their relevance to two official reports on the crash of American Airlines Flight 965 near Cali, Colombia in December 1995. For comparison with QUORUM's ratings, three experienced ASRS analysts read the reports of the crash and independently rated the relevance of the 100 narratives that were most highly rated by QUORUM, as well as 100 narratives randomly selected from the database. Eighty-four of 100 QUORUM-selected narratives were rated as relevant to the Cali accident by one or more of the analysts. The relevant incidents involved a variety of factors, including, over-reliance on automation, confusion and changes during descent/approach, terrain avoidance, and operations in foreign airspace. In addition, the QUORUM collection of incidents was found to be significantly more relevant than the random collection.

  2. Estimating and mapping the incidence of dengue and chikungunya in Honduras during 2015 using Geographic Information Systems (GIS).

    PubMed

    Zambrano, Lysien I; Sierra, Manuel; Lara, Bredy; Rodríguez-Núñez, Iván; Medina, Marco T; Lozada-Riascos, Carlos O; Rodríguez-Morales, Alfonso J

    Geographical information systems (GIS) use for development of epidemiological maps in dengue has been extensively used, however not in other emerging arboviral diseases, nor in Central America. Surveillance cases data (2015) were used to estimate annual incidence rates of dengue and chikungunya (cases/100,000 pop) to develop the first maps in the departments and municipalities of Honduras. The GIS software used was Kosmo Desktop 3.0RC1 ® . Four thematic maps were developed according departments, municipalities, diseases incidence rates. A total of 19,289 cases of dengue and 85,386 of chikungunya were reported (median, 726 cases/week for dengue and 1460 for chikungunya). Highest peaks were observed at weeks 25th and 27th, respectively. There was association between progression by weeks (p<0.0001). The cumulated crude national rate was estimated in 224.9 cases/100,000 pop for dengue and 995.6 for chikungunya. The incidence rates ratio between chikungunya and dengue is 4.42 (ranging in municipalities from 0.0 up to 893.0 [San Vicente Centenario]). Burden of both arboviral diseases is concentrated in capital Central District (>37%, both). Use of GIS-based epidemiological maps allow to guide decisions-taking for prevention and control of diseases that still represents significant issues in the region and the country, but also in emerging conditions. Copyright © 2016 King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Association between population density and reported incidence, characteristics and outcome after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in Sweden.

    PubMed

    Strömsöe, A; Svensson, L; Claesson, A; Lindkvist, J; Lundström, A; Herlitz, J

    2011-10-01

    To describe the reported incidence of out of hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) and the characteristics and outcome after OHCA in relation to population density in Sweden. All patients participating in the Swedish Cardiac Arrest Register between 2008 and 2009 in (a) 20 of 21 regions (n=6457) and in (b) 165 of 292 municipalities (n=3522) in Sweden, took part in the survey. The regional population density varied between 3 and 310 inhabitants per km(2) in 2009. In 2008-2009, the number of reported cardiac arrests varied between 13 and 52 per 100,000 inhabitants and year. Survival to 1 month varied between 2% and 14% during the same period in different regions. With regard to population density, based on municipalities, bystander CPR (p=0.04) as well as cardiac etiology (p=0.002) were more frequent in less populated areas. Ambulance response time was longer in less populated areas (p<0.0001). There was no significant association between population density and survival to 1 month after OHCA or incidence (adjusted for age and gender) of OHCA. There was no significant association between population density and survival to 1 month after OHCA or incidence (adjusted for age and gender) of OHCA. However, bystander CPR, cardiac etiology and longer response times were more frequent in less populated areas. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. [Validation of an adverse event reporting system in primary care].

    PubMed

    de Lourdes Rojas-Armadillo, María; Jiménez-Báez, María Valeria; Chávez-Hernández, María Margarita; González-Fondón, Araceli

    2016-01-01

    Patient safety is a priority issue in health systems, due to the damage costs, institutional weakening, lack of credibility, and frustration on those who committed an error that resulted in an adverse event. There is no standardized instrument for recording, reporting, and analyzing sentinel or adverse events (AE) in primary care. Our aim was to design and validate a surveillance system for recording sentinel events, adverse events and near miss incidents in primary care. We made a review of systems for recording and reporting adverse events in primary care. Then, we proposed an instrument to record these events, and register faults in the structure and process, in primary health care units in the Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social. We showed VENCER-MF format to 35 subjects. Out of them, 100% identified a failure in care process, 90% recorded a sentinel event, 85% identified the cause of this event, 75% of them suggested some measures for avoiding the recurrence of adverse events. We used a Cronbach's alpha of 0.6, p=0.03. The instrument VENCER-MF has a good consistency for the identification of adverse events.

  5. NASA firefighters breathing system program report

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wood, W. B.

    1977-01-01

    Because of the rising incidence of respiratory injury to firefighters, local governments expressed the need for improved breathing apparatus. A review of the NASA firefighters breathing system program, including concept definition, design, development, regulatory agency approval, in-house testing, and program conclusion is presented.

  6. A scoring system for ascertainment of incident stroke; the Risk Index Score (RISc).

    PubMed

    Kass-Hout, T A; Moyé, L A; Smith, M A; Morgenstern, L B

    2006-01-01

    The main objective of this study was to develop and validate a computer-based statistical algorithm that could be translated into a simple scoring system in order to ascertain incident stroke cases using hospital admission medical records data. The Risk Index Score (RISc) algorithm was developed using data collected prospectively by the Brain Attack Surveillance in Corpus Christi (BASIC) project, 2000. The validity of RISc was evaluated by estimating the concordance of scoring system stroke ascertainment to stroke ascertainment by physician and/or abstractor review of hospital admission records. RISc was developed on 1718 randomly selected patients (training set) and then statistically validated on an independent sample of 858 patients (validation set). A multivariable logistic model was used to develop RISc and subsequently evaluated by goodness-of-fit and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses. The higher the value of RISc, the higher the patient's risk of potential stroke. The study showed RISc was well calibrated and discriminated those who had potential stroke from those that did not on initial screening. In this study we developed and validated a rapid, easy, efficient, and accurate method to ascertain incident stroke cases from routine hospital admission records for epidemiologic investigations. Validation of this scoring system was achieved statistically; however, clinical validation in a community hospital setting is warranted.

  7. General formula for the incidence factor of a solar heliostat receiver system.

    PubMed

    Wei, L Y

    1980-09-15

    A general formula is derived for the effective incidence factor of an array of heliostat mirrors for solar power collection. The formula can be greatly simplified for arrays of high symmetry and offers quick computation of the performance of the array. It shows clearly how the mirror distribution and locations affect the overall performance and thus provide a useful guidance for the design of a solar heliostat receiver system.

  8. Decision modeling for fire incident analysis

    Treesearch

    Donald G. MacGregor; Armando González-Cabán

    2009-01-01

    This paper reports on methods for representing and modeling fire incidents based on concepts and models from the decision and risk sciences. A set of modeling techniques are used to characterize key fire management decision processes and provide a basis for incident analysis. The results of these methods can be used to provide insights into the structure of fire...

  9. Incidence, Survival, and Mortality of Malignant Cutaneous Melanoma in Wisconsin, 1995-2011.

    PubMed

    Peterson, Molly; Albertini, Mark R; Remington, Patrick

    2015-10-01

    To assess trends in malignant melanoma incidence, survival, and mortality in Wisconsin. Incidence data for Wisconsin were obtained from the Wisconsin Cancer Reporting System Bureau of Health Information using Wisconsin Interactive Statistics on Health, while incidence data for the United States were obtained from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results system (SEER). The mortality to incidence ratio [1 - (mortality/incidence)] was used as a proxy to estimate relative 5-year survival in Wisconsin, while observed 5-year survival rates for the United States were obtained from SEER. Mortality data for both Wisconsin and the United States were extracted using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Wide-ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research. During the past decade, malignant melanoma incidence rates increased 57% in Wisconsin (from 12.1 to 19.0 cases per 100,000) versus a 33% increase (from 20.9 to 27.7 cases per 100,000) in the United States during the same time period. The greatest Wisconsin increase in incidence was among women ages 45-64 years and among men ages 65 years and older. Overall relative percent difference in 5-year survival in Wisconsin rose 10% (from 77% to 85%) and was unchanged (82%) for the United States. Wisconsin overall mortality rates were unchanged at 2.8 deaths per 100,000, compared to a 10% increase in the United States (from 3.1 to 3.4 deaths per 100,000). Wisconsin mortality rates improved for women ages 45-64 and for men ages 25-44. Despite improvements in malignant melanoma survival rates, increases in incidence represent a major public health challenge for physicians and policymakers.

  10. First report on the nationwide incidence of type 1 diabetes and ketoacidosis at onset in children in Serbia: a multicenter study.

    PubMed

    Vukovic, Rade; Jesic, Maja D; Vorgucin, Ivana; Stankovic, Sandra; Folic, Nevena; Milenkovic, Tatjana; Sajic, Silvija; Katanic, Dragan; Zivic, Sasa; Markovic, Slavica; Soldatovic, Ivan

    2018-05-17

    Data regarding incidence of type 1 diabetes (T1DM), as well as data on frequency and severity of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) at the time of T1DM diagnosis is of paramount importance for national and regional healthcare planning. The aim of present multicenter study was to provide the first report regarding nationwide annual incidence rates for T1DM in youth in Serbia, as well as prevalence of DKA at the time of diagnosis. Data on all pediatric patients with newly diagnosed T1DM was retrospectively collected from all 15 regional centers for pediatric diabetes in Serbia during the period 2007-2017. During the study period, average-standardized incidence of T1DM in youth < 19 years was 11.82/100,000, and 14.28/100,000 in 0-14 years age group, with an average yearly increase in incidence of 5.9%. High prevalence of DKA (35.1%) at the time of diagnosis was observed, with highest frequency in children aged < 5 years (47.2%). This is the first study reporting the nationwide incidence of T1DM and alarmingly high prevalence of DKA at diagnosis in youth in Serbia. The focus of public health preventive measures should be directed towards the preschoolers, considering the highest frequency and severity of DKA observed in this age group. What is Known: • Knowing regional T1DM incidence is of paramount importance for resource allocation and healthcare services provision. • DKA is the leading cause of acute mortality in youth with T1DM, and public health preventive educational measures could improve early diagnosis and reduce the frequency and severity of DKA at presentation. What is New: • Incidence of pediatric T1DM in Serbia is on the rise, with an average yearly increase of 5.9%. • Worryingly high prevalence of DKA (35.1%) at the time of T1DM diagnosis was observed, with the highest frequency of DKA in children aged < 5 years (47.2%).

  11. [Incidence and severity of the digestive system diseases in the armed forces of Ukraine].

    PubMed

    Rozhkov, H S

    2012-01-01

    The paper presents an analysis of the level and structure of morbidity Armed Forces of Ukraine diseases of the digestive system. The highest rates of total incidence of disease in the class XI 2008-2011, recorded among conscripts, the lowest--in the military under the contract.

  12. Embedding learning from adverse incidents: a UK case study.

    PubMed

    Eshareturi, Cyril; Serrant, Laura

    2017-04-18

    Purpose This paper reports on a regionally based UK study uncovering what has worked well in learning from adverse incidents in hospitals. The purpose of this paper is to review the incident investigation methodology used in identifying strengths or weaknesses and explore the use of a database as a tool to embed learning. Design/methodology/approach Documentary examination was conducted of all adverse incidents reported between 1 June 2011 and 30 June 2012 by three UK National Health Service hospitals. One root cause analysis report per adverse incident for each individual hospital was sent to an advisory group for a review. Using terms of reference supplied, the advisory group feedback was analysed using an inductive thematic approach. The emergent themes led to the generation of questions which informed seven in-depth semi-structured interviews. Findings "Time" and "work pressures" were identified as barriers to using adverse incident investigations as tools for quality enhancement. Methodologically, a weakness in approach was that no criteria influenced the techniques which were used in investigating adverse incidents. Regarding the sharing of learning, the use of a database as a tool to embed learning across the region was not supported. Practical implications Softer intelligence from adverse incident investigations could be usefully shared between hospitals through a regional forum. Originality/value The use of a database as a tool to facilitate the sharing of learning from adverse incidents across the health economy is not supported.

  13. Occupational Homicides of Law Enforcement Officers, 2003-2013: Data From the National Violent Death Reporting System.

    PubMed

    Blair, Janet M; Fowler, Katherine A; Betz, Carter J; Baumgardner, Jason L

    2016-11-01

    Law enforcement officers (LEOs) in the U.S. are at an increased risk for homicide. The purpose of this study is to describe the characteristics of homicides of LEOs in 17 U.S. states participating in the National Violent Death Reporting System. This active surveillance system uses data from death certificates, coroner/medical examiner reports, and law enforcement reports. This study used quantitative and qualitative methods to analyze National Violent Death Reporting System data for 2003-2013. Deaths of LEOs feloniously killed in the line of duty were selected for analysis. LEO homicides and the circumstances preceding or occurring during the incident were characterized. Analyses were conducted October 2015-June 2016. A total of 128 officer homicides from 121 incidents were identified. Most (93.7%) LEO victims were male, 60.9% were aged 30-49 years (average age, 40.9 years). Approximately 21.9% of LEOs were killed during an ambush, and 19.5% were killed during traffic stops or pursuits. Of the 14.1% of LEOs killed responding to domestic disturbances, most disturbances were intimate partner violence related. More than half (57.0%) of homicides were precipitated by another crime, and of these, 71.2% involved crimes in progress. Most suspects were male. Ninety-one percent of homicides of LEOs were committed with a firearm. This information is critical to help describe encounter situations faced by LEOs. The results of this study can be used to help educate and train LEOs on hazards, inform prevention efforts designed to promote LEO safety, and prevent homicide among this population. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  14. Incidence and determinants of hyperkalemia and hypokalemia in a large healthcare system.

    PubMed

    Nilsson, Erik; Gasparini, Alessandro; Ärnlöv, Johan; Xu, Hairong; Henriksson, Karin M; Coresh, Josef; Grams, Morgan E; Carrero, Juan Jesus

    2017-10-15

    Hypo- and hyperkalemia in clinical settings are insufficiently characterized and large-scale data from Europe lacking. We studied incidence and determinants of these abnormalities in a large Swedish healthcare system. Observational study from the Stockholm CREAtinine Measurements project, including adult individuals from Stockholm accessing healthcare in 2009 (n=364,955). Over 3-years, we estimated the incidence of hypokalemia, defined as potassium<3.5mmol/L, hyperkalemia, defined as potassium>5mmol/L, and moderate/severe hyperkalemia, defined as potassium>5.5mmol/L. Kidney function was assessed by estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). Of 364,955 participants, 69.4% had 1-2 potassium tests, 16.7% had 3-4 tests and the remaining 13.9% had >4potassiumtests/year. Hypokalemia occurred in 49,662 (13.6%) individuals, with 33% recurrence. Hyperkalemia occurred in 25,461 (7%) individuals, with 35.7% recurrence. Moderate/severe hyperkalemia occurred in 9059 (2.5%) with 28% recurrence. The frequency of potassium testing was an important determinant of dyskalemia risk. The incidence proportion of hyperkalemia was higher in the presence of diabetes, lower eGFR, myocardial infarction, heart failure (HF), or use of renin angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors (RAASi). In adjusted analyses, women and use of loop/thiazide diuretics were associated with lower hyperkalemia risk. Older age, lower eGFR, diabetes, HF and use of RAASi were associated with higher hyperkalemia risk. On the other hand, women, younger age, higher eGFR and baseline use of diuretics were associated with higher hypokalemia risk. Hypo- and hyperkalemia are common in healthcare. Optimal RAASi and diuretics use and careful potassium monitoring in the presence of certain comorbidities, especially lower eGFR, is advocated. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. An analysis of runway incursion "Hot Spots" incidents : with deidentified reports excerpts : volume 2

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2002-10-24

    The analysis set was limited to runway incursion incidents that occurred : between January 1, 2000 and June 30,2002. : The runway incursion incidents included incidents involving eitherhold : line transgressions or actual runway penetrations. : ...

  16. An analysis of runway incursion "Hot Spots" incidents : with deidentified reports excerpts : volume 1

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2002-10-24

    The analysis set was limited to runway incursion incidents that occurred : between January 1, 2000 and June 30,2002. : The runway incursion incidents included incidents involving eitherhold : line transgressions or actual runway penetrations. : ...

  17. Using database reports to reduce workplace violence: Perceptions of hospital stakeholders.

    PubMed

    Arnetz, Judith E; Hamblin, Lydia; Ager, Joel; Aranyos, Deanna; Essenmacher, Lynnette; Upfal, Mark J; Luborsky, Mark

    2015-01-01

    Documented incidents of violence provide the foundation for any workplace violence prevention program. However, no published research to date has examined stakeholders' preferences for workplace violence data reports in healthcare settings. If relevant data are not readily available and effectively summarized and presented, the likelihood is low that they will be utilized by stakeholders in targeted efforts to reduce violence. To discover and describe hospital system stakeholders' perceptions of database-generated workplace violence data reports. Eight hospital system stakeholders representing Human Resources, Security, Occupational Health Services, Quality and Safety, and Labor in a large, metropolitan hospital system. The hospital system utilizes a central database for reporting adverse workplace events, including incidents of violence. A focus group was conducted to identify stakeholders' preferences and specifications for standardized, computerized reports of workplace violence data to be generated by the central database. The discussion was audio-taped, transcribed verbatim, processed as text, and analyzed using stepwise content analysis. Five distinct themes emerged from participant responses: Concerns, Etiology, Customization, Use, and Outcomes. In general, stakeholders wanted data reports to provide ``the big picture,'' i.e., rates of occurrence; reasons for and details regarding incident occurrence; consequences for the individual employee and/or the workplace; and organizational efforts that were employed to deal with the incident. Exploring stakeholder views regarding workplace violence summary reports provided concrete information on the preferred content, format, and use of workplace violence data. Participants desired both epidemiological and incident-specific data in order to better understand and work to prevent the workplace violence occurring in their hospital system.

  18. A Practical Guide to Interpretation of Large Collections of Incident Narratives Using the QUORUM Method

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    McGreevy, Michael W.

    1997-01-01

    Analysis of incident reports plays an important role in aviation safety. Typically, a narrative description, written by a participant, is a central part of an incident report. Because there are so many reports, and the narratives contain so much detail, it can be difficult to efficiently and effectively recognize patterns among them. Recognizing and addressing recurring problems, however, is vital to continuing safety in commercial aviation operations. A practical way to interpret large collections of incident narratives is to apply the QUORUM method of text analysis, modeling, and relevance ranking. In this paper, QUORUM text analysis and modeling are surveyed, and QUORUM relevance ranking is described in detail with many examples. The examples are based on several large collections of reports from the Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) database, and a collection of news stories describing the disaster of TWA Flight 800, the Boeing 747 which exploded in mid- air and crashed near Long Island, New York, on July 17, 1996. Reader familiarity with this disaster should make the relevance-ranking examples more understandable. The ASRS examples illustrate the practical application of QUORUM relevance ranking.

  19. Cancer incidence, mortality, and survival in Eastern Libya: updated report from the Benghazi Cancer Registry.

    PubMed

    El Mistiri, Mufid; Salati, Massimiliano; Marcheselli, Luigi; Attia, Adel; Habil, Salah; Alhomri, Faraj; Spika, Devon; Allemani, Claudia; Federico, Massimo

    2015-08-01

    Despite the increasing burden of cancer occurred over recent years in the African continent, epidemiologic data from Northern Africa area have been so far sparse or absent. We present most recently available data from the Benghazi Cancer Registry concerning cancer incidence and mortality as well as the most comprehensive survival data set so far generated for cases diagnosed during 2003 to 2005 in Eastern Libya. We collected and analyzed data on cancer incidence, mortality and survival that were obtained over a 3-year study period from January 1st 2003 to December 31st 2005 from the Benghazi Cancer Registry. A total of 3307 cancer patients were registered among residents during the study period. The world age-standardized incidence rate for all sites was 135.4 and 107.1 per 100,000 for males and females, respectively. The most common malignancies in men were cancers of lung (18.9%), colorectum (10.4%), bladder (10.1%), and prostate (9.4%); among women, they were breast (23.2%), colorectum (11.2%), corpus uteri (6.7%), and leukemia (5.1%). A total of 1367 deaths for cancer were recorded from 2003 to 2005; the leading causes of cancer death were cancers of the lung (29.3%), colorectum (8.2%), and brain (7.3%) in males and cancers of breast (14.8%), colorectum (10.6%), and liver (7%) in females. The 5-year relative survival for all cancer combined was 22.3%; survival was lower in men (19.8%) than in women (28.2%). This study provides an updated report on cancer incidence, mortality, and survival, in Eastern Libya which may represent a useful tool for planning future interventions toward a better cancer control. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Incident learning in pursuit of high reliability: implementing a comprehensive, low-threshold reporting program in a large, multisite radiation oncology department.

    PubMed

    Gabriel, Peter E; Volz, Edna; Bergendahl, Howard W; Burke, Sean V; Solberg, Timothy D; Maity, Amit; Hahn, Stephen M

    2015-04-01

    Incident learning programs have been recognized as cornerstones of safety and quality assurance in so-called high reliability organizations in industries such as aviation and nuclear power. High reliability organizations are distinguished by their drive to continuously identify and proactively address a broad spectrum of latent safety issues. Many radiation oncology institutions have reported on their experience in tracking and analyzing adverse events and near misses but few have incorporated the principles of high reliability into their programs. Most programs have focused on the reporting and retrospective analysis of a relatively small number of significant adverse events and near misses. To advance a large, multisite radiation oncology department toward high reliability, a comprehensive, cost-effective, electronic condition reporting program was launched to enable the identification of a broad spectrum of latent system failures, which would then be addressed through a continuous quality improvement process. A comprehensive program, including policies, work flows, and information system, was designed and implemented, with use of a low reporting threshold to focus on precursors to adverse events. In a 46-month period from March 2011 through December 2014, a total of 8,504 conditions (average, 185 per month, 1 per patient treated, 3.9 per 100 fractions [individual treatments]) were reported. Some 77.9% of clinical staff members reported at least 1 condition. Ninety-eight percent of conditions were classified in the lowest two of four severity levels, providing the opportunity to address conditions before they contribute to adverse events. Results after approximately four years show excellent employee engagement, a sustained rate of reporting, and a focus on low-level issues leading to proactive quality improvement interventions.