Research article
Medical errors in primary care clinics – a cross sectional study
1 Department of Primary Care Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Jalan Lembah Pantai, Kuala Lumpur, 50603, Malaysia
2 Luyang Health Clinic, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Off Jalan Lintas, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
3 Department of Health Outcomes Research, Institute for Health Systems Research, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Jalan Rumah Sakit, Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
4 Pantai Health Clinic, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Wisma Goshen, Plaza Pantai, Off Jalan Pantai Bharu, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
5 Department of Family Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia
6 State Health Department of Sabah, Ministry of Health Malaysia, 3rd Floor, Federal Building, Jalan Mat Salleh, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
7 Department of Medical Services, Medical Care Quality Section, Development Division, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Putrajaya, Malaysia
8 Department of Public Health, Division of Family Health Development, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Putrajaya, Malaysia
9 Office of the Deputy Director General of Health (Research & Technical Support), Ministry of Health Malaysia, Level 12, Block E7, Parcel E, Federal Government Administrative Center, Putrajaya, Malaysia
BMC Family Practice 2012, 13:127 doi:10.1186/1471-2296-13-127
Published: 26 December 2012Abstract
Background
Patient safety is vital in patient care. There is a lack of studies on medical errors in primary care settings. The aim of the study is to determine the extent of diagnostic inaccuracies and management errors in public funded primary care clinics.
Methods
This was a cross-sectional study conducted in twelve public funded primary care clinics in Malaysia. A total of 1753 medical records were randomly selected in 12 primary care clinics in 2007 and were reviewed by trained family physicians for diagnostic, management and documentation errors, potential errors causing serious harm and likelihood of preventability of such errors.
Results
The majority of patient encounters (81%) were with medical assistants. Diagnostic errors were present in 3.6% (95% CI: 2.2, 5.0) of medical records and management errors in 53.2% (95% CI: 46.3, 60.2). For management errors, medication errors were present in 41.1% (95% CI: 35.8, 46.4) of records, investigation errors in 21.7% (95% CI: 16.5, 26.8) and decision making errors in 14.5% (95% CI: 10.8, 18.2). A total of 39.9% (95% CI: 33.1, 46.7) of these errors had the potential to cause serious harm. Problems of documentation including illegible handwriting were found in 98.0% (95% CI: 97.0, 99.1) of records. Nearly all errors (93.5%) detected were considered preventable.
Conclusions
The occurrence of medical errors was high in primary care clinics particularly with documentation and medication errors. Nearly all were preventable. Remedial intervention addressing completeness of documentation and prescriptions are likely to yield reduction of errors.
