Digitalised multidisciplinary conferences effectively identify and prevent imaging-related medical error in intensive care patients during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

This study aims to assess the effectiveness of digital multidisciplinary conferences (MDCs) in preventing imaging-related quality management (QM) events during the coronavirus-disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic. COVID-19 challenged interdisciplinary exchange and QM measures for patient safety. Regular MDCs between radiologists and intensive care unit (ICU) physicians, introduced in our hospital in 2018, enable re-evaluation of imaging examinations and bilateral feedback. MDC protocols from 2020 to 2021 were analysed regarding imaging-related QM events. Epidemiological data on COVID-19 were matched with MDCs. 333 MDCs including 1324 radiological examinations in 857 patients (median age = 64 (IQR = 55–73) years, 66.7% male) were analysed. MDCs were held within a median of 1 day after imaging (IQR = 1–3). QM events were identified in 2.7% (n = 36/1324) of examinations. This represented a significant decrease compared to a control group from 2018/2019 (QM events identified in 14.0%, p < 0.001). QM incidence remained consistent in the pandemic cohort (regression coefficient estimate = -0.01, 95% confidence interval = [0.000, 0.000], p = 0.68). 81% (n = 29/36) of QM events were report-related, 19% process-related (n = 6/36), and 2.8% indication-related (n = 1/36). In 7.3% (n = 97/1324) of examinations, the patient was affected by COVID-19. With MDCs as an effective feedback mechanism in place, the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic led to no increase in QM incidence. Notably, COVID status did not impact QM event occurrence.