Anonymity or transparency in reporting of medical error: a community-based survey in South Australia

Objectives: To seek public opinion on the reporting of medical errors and the anonymity of healthcare workers who report medical errors. Design and participants: A random, representative survey of 2005 South Australians in April 2002, using telephone interviews based on a vignette provided. Main out...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Medical journal of Australia 2004-06, Vol.180 (11), p.577-580
Main Authors: Evans, Sue M, Berry, Jesia G, Smith, Brian J, Esterman, Adrian J
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Accidents
Accountability
Adolescent
Adult
Bioethics
Biological and medical sciences
Confidentiality
Consumers
Disclosure
Epidemiology
Female
General aspects
General medicine
Health services administration
Hospitals
Households
Humans
Identity disclosure
Incident reporting
Male
Medical errors
Medical Errors - ethics
Medical personnel
Medical profession
Medical sciences
Medicine
Middle Aged
Patient safety
Privacy
Public Opinion
Quality improvement
Reporting requirements
South Australia
South Australia: Social conditions
Surveys
Surveys and Questionnaires
Workers
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Summary:Objectives: To seek public opinion on the reporting of medical errors and the anonymity of healthcare workers who report medical errors. Design and participants: A random, representative survey of 2005 South Australians in April 2002, using telephone interviews based on a vignette provided. Main outcome measures: When a medical error occurs (i) whether the incident should be reported, and (ii) whether the report should disclose the healthcare worker's identity. Results: (i) Most respondents (94.2%; 95% CI, 93.0%–95.2%) believed healthcare workers should report medical errors. (ii) 68.0% (95% CI, 65.5%–70.5%) of those in favour of reporting believed the healthcare worker should be identified on the report, while 29.2% (95% CI, 26.7%–31.7%) favoured anonymous reporting. Conclusions: Most respondents believed that, when a healthcare worker makes an error, an incident report should be written and the individual should be identified on the report. Respondents were reluctant to accept healthcare worker anonymity, even though this may encourage reporting.
ISSN:0025-729X
1326-5377
DOI:10.5694/j.1326-5377.2004.tb06095.x