Introducing patient safety to undergraduate medical students – A pilot program delivered by health care administrators

Figures & data

Table

Practice points

Implementing a program on patient safety can be challenging. An introductory program, however brief, is a good start. Health care administrators may be considered as effective faculties. A lecture-based program can be readily integrated into an existing curriculum. Some areas, such as the promotion of a healthy reporting culture, may require alternative methods of delivery.

Table 1.  Suggested topics listed in the WHO curriculum guide on patient safety

1. What is patient safety?^a

2. What is human factor and why is it important to patient safety?^a

3. Understanding systems and the impact of complexity on patient care.^a

4. Being an effective team player.^a

5. Understanding and learning from errors.^a

6. Understanding and managing clinical risks.^a

7. Introduction to quality improvement methods.^a

8. Engaging with patients and carers.

9. Minimizing infection through improved infection control.

10. Patient safety and invasive procedures.

11. Improving medication safety.^a

Note: ^aTopics covered in the teaching program of this study.

Table 2.  Questionnaire items which exhibited significant changes at 3 months after the two hourly lectures on patient safety

	Before teaching		At 3 months after teaching
Items	Mean	SD	Mean	SD	Direction of intended changes	Detected changes	p-value
Nature and handling of medical errors
1. Human errors in medicine is inevitable	3.62	0.966	4.06	0.763	+	+0.44	0.001
2. After an error occurs, the most effective strategy is to work harder and to be more careful	3.44	0.931	3.05	1.058	–	−0.39	0.003
3. Competent physicians do not make medical errors	2.00	0.605	1.86	0.603	–	−0.14	0.030
4. The traditional culture of medicine is effective in dealing with errors constructively	2.81	0.798	2.60	0.778	–	−0.21	0.013
5. If you knew another physician has made an error, you would keep it to yourself	2.53	0.716	2.32	0.667	–	−0.21	0.009
6. If there is no harm to a patient, there is no need to address an error	2.33	0.750	2.16	0.666	–	−0.17	0.011
7. Disciplinary actions for staff are effective in preventing errors	3.20	0.794	2.60	0.991	–	−0.60	<0.001
8. There is no need to openly disclose an error if the patient has accepted an apology and is adequately compensated	2.77	0.973	2.48	0.904	–	−0.29	0.004
Self-appraisal of knowledge
1. The number of reported incidents each year in HAHO	2.06	0.755	2.55	0.803	NA	+0.49	<0.001
2. The causes of medical error	2.55	0.769	2.93	0.708	NA	+0.38	<0.001
3. Definition of latent factors	2.11	0.792	2.79	0.846	NA	+0.68	<0.001
4. Approaches to manage incidents	2.27	0.764	2.93	0.809	NA	+0.66	<0.001
5. Content of the publication ‘Risk alert’	2.24	0.872	2.93	0.887	NA	+0.69	<0.001

Note: NA, not applicable.

Table 3.  Questionnaire items which did not exhibit significant changes at 3 months after the two hourly lectures on patient safety

	Before teaching		At 3 months after teaching
Items	Mean	SD	Mean	SD	Direction of intended changes	Detected changes	p-value
Nature and handling of medical errors
1. A reporting system helps to reduce future errors	3.98	0.604	3.94	0.769	+	−0.04	0.318
2. There is a gap between what is know as ‘best care’ and what is being provided on a day to day basis	3.96	0.654	3.92	0.598	+	−0.04	0.724
3. Physicians should not tolerate uncertainty in patient care	2.74	0.896	2.75	0.892	–	+0.01	0.875
4. If you have made an error, you would not disclose it unless absolutely necessary	2.46	0.788	2.36	0.677	–	−0.10	0.193
5. An open reporting system has a negative effect on your professional status	2.58	0.812	2.53	0.826	–	−0.05	0.414
6. Most errors are caused by physicians or nurses	3.10	0.822	2.92	0.748	–	−0.08	0.253
7. Physicians are the best people to determine the causes of a medical error	3.00	0.766	2.96	0.777	–	−0.04	0.264
Patient safety in medical curriculum
1. Patient safety is an important topic	4.47	0.523	4.49	0.533	NA	−0.02	0.194
2. Patient safety should be included in the undergraduate curriculum	4.07	0.640	4.11	0.699	NA	+0.04	0.310
3. Professional examination should include items on patient safety issues	3.68	0.733	3.67	0.725	NA	−0.01	0.860

Note: NA, not applicable.