Costs and root causes of medication errors and falls in a teaching hospital: Cross-sectional study

Abstract

Objectives: to characterize accidents/falls and medication errors in the care process in a teaching hospital and to determine their root causes and variable direct costs. Method: cross-sectional study implemented in two stages: the first, was based on the analysis of secondary sources (notifications, medical records and cost reports) and the second, on the application of root-cause analysis for incidents with moderate/severe harm. The study was carried out in a teaching hospital in Paraná, which exclusively serves the Brazilian Unified Health System and composes the Network of Sentinel Hospitals. Thirty reports of accidents/falls and 37 reports of medication errors were investigated. Descriptive statistical analysis and the methodology proposed by The Joint Commission International were applied. Results: among the accidents/falls, 33.3% occurred in the emergency room; 40.0% were related to the bed, in similar proportions in the morning and night periods; 51.4% of medication errors occurred in the hospitalization unit, the majority in the night time (32.4%), with an emphasis on dose omissions (27.0%) and dispensing errors (21.6%). Most incidents did not cause additional harm or cost. The average cost was R$ 158.55 for the management of falls. Additional costs for medication errors ranged from R$ 31.16 to R$ 21,534.61. The contributing factors and root causes of the incidents were mainly related to the team, the professional and the execution of care. Conclusion: accidents/falls and medication errors presented a low frequency of harm to the patient, but impacted costs to the hospital. Regarding root causes, aspects of the health work process related to direct patient care were highlighted.