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Hospitals Rarely Report Adverse Events, Says OIG

Cheryl Clark, for HealthLeaders Media, July 23, 2012

The OIG report points to a spotty system around the country for identifying and reporting events that cause harm.  Only 26 states including the District of Columbia have reporting requirements, but only 23 of those 26 regularly investigate those events.

Of all the events analyzed, only 60% occurred in states with event reporting systems.

Additionally, eight of the 26 states do not use the event reports to provide patient safety information and educational tools to hospitals or prepare analyses of contributing factors or widespread threats to patient safety that could prevent those incidents from being repeated elsewhere.

The OIG report is the latest in a series of federal reports about adverse events in hospitals.

Cheryl Clark is senior quality editor and California correspondent for HealthLeaders Media. She is a member of the Association of Health Care Journalists.
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1 comments on "Hospitals Rarely Report Adverse Events, Says OIG"


Dinesh Patel (7/23/2012 at 11:25 AM)
The culture of reporting to the DPH and Board of registration in medicine got started thru legislative mandate in Mass in 1987. Mass board of registration has unique systems in place as Patient care assessement regulations Such reporting to the Board has non punitive ,confidential , firewall built in with purpose being self education for contious improvement and there by improve safety well fare and quality and reduction of errors Worth for OIG and other states to look at what is happening in MASS state. good report and thanks Dinesh Patel MD