Follow usAdverse events in Irish hospitals – first ever Irish study
10 February 2016
New research shows that one in eight patients admitted to hospital during 2009 experienced adverse events. This is the first time such research has been carried out in Ireland and the figures are broadly consistent with baseline studies conducted in other countries.
An adverse event is an unintended injury or complication as a result of healthcare management that results in a prolonged hospital stay, disability at the time of discharge from hospital or death.
Dr Graham Love, Chief Executive of the Health Research Board commented;
'Research will save lives when it is put into practice. The HRB funded this study to ensure that the approach taken to measure adverse events was right and in line with international standards. Now we have created the foundation, there is a huge opportunity to build on the success of the HSE clinical care programmes to improve patient care and enhance the way services are delivered'.
The study, which was carried out by RCSI (Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland) in collaboration with the Royal College of Physicians in Ireland (RCPI), is just published in the BMJ Quality & Safety Journal. It has been funded by the HRB and the Health Service Executive.
The full press release is available on the RCSI website at www.rcsi.ie/index.jsp
The full paper is published in the BMJ Quality and Safety Journal m.qualitysafety.bmj.com/content/early/2016/02/09/bmjqs-2015-004828
