Lessons from the Australian Patient Safety Foundation: setting up a national patient safety surveillance system—is this the right model?. Issue 3 (1st September 2002)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Runciman, W B
• Is Part Of: Quality & safety in health care. Volume 11:Issue 3(2002)
• Page Start: 246
• Page End: 251
• Publication Date: 2002-09-01
• Subjects: patient safety -- incident reporting -- quality improvement
• DOI: 10.1136/qhc.11.3.246
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1475-3898

Abstract

Abstract : The evolution of the concepts and processes underpinning the Australian Patient Safety Foundation's systems over the last 15 years are traced. An ideal system should have the following attributes: an independent organisation to coordinate patient safety surveillance; agreed frameworks for patient safety and surveillance systems; common, agreed standards and terminology; a single, clinically useful classification for things that go wrong in health care; a national repository for information covering all of health care from all available sources; mechanisms for setting priorities at local, national and international levels; a just system which caters for the rights of patients, society, and healthcare practitioners and facilities; separate processes for accountability and "systems learnings"; the right to anonymity and legal privilege for reporters; systems for rapid feedback and evidence of action; mechanisms for involving and informing all stakeholders. There are powerful reasons for establishing national systems, for aligning terminology, tools and classification systems internationally, and for rapid dissemination of successful strategies.