Hospital deaths not decreasing: new study
Wednesday, 22 December 2004
The number of fatal accidents in South Australia's hospitals is not decreasing despite greater knowledge of how they occur, according to new research at the University of 新浪彩票.
The findings are contained in a thesis written by PhD graduate Dr Carol Grech in the University of 新浪彩票's Department of Public Health.
Dr Grech, who received her doctorate at the University in last week's graduation ceremonies, investigated Coronial Inquiries into "fatal adverse events" in South Australian hospitals, and the outcomes of the Coroner's recommendations.
Dr Grech found that many solutions have been proposed over the years to reduce the incidence of fatal errors in South Australia's hospitals, to little effect.
"The Coroner regularly and repeatedly identifies the same factors underlying fatal adverse events," she says.
"Despite this knowledge, and the fact that many adverse events are predictable and preventable, there is little evidence that the incidence of medical fatalities is appreciably declining.
"If government and health bureaucrats are serious about preventing fatal adverse events, then significant attention needs to be given to implementing recommendations handed down by the Coroner."
Dr Grech says immediate actions to be taken should include:
路 overcoming obstacles that impede hospital deaths being reported to the Coroner;
路 increasing funding to the Coroner's office to speed up investigations;
路 improving the communication of Coronial findings to clinicians (the group most likely to benefit from this form of education); and
路 lifting ba