1
|
Di Fazio N, Scopetti M, Delogu G, La Russa R, Foti F, Grassi VM, Vetrugno G, De Micco F, De Benedictis A, Tambone V, Rinaldi R, Frati P, Fineschi V. Analysis of Medico-Legal Complaint Data: A Retrospective Study of Three Large Italian University Hospitals. Healthcare (Basel) 2023; 11:healthcare11101406. [PMID: 37239691 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare11101406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2023] [Revised: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: Identifying hospital-related critical, and excellent, areas represents the main goal of this paper, in both a national and local setting. Information was collected and organized for an internal company's reports, regarding civil litigation that has been affecting the hospital, to relate the obtained results with the phenomenon of medical malpractice on a national scale. This is for the development of targeted improvement strategies, and for investing available resources in a proficient way. (2) Methods: In the present study, data from claims management in Umberto I General Hospital, Agostino Gemelli University Hospital Foundation and Campus Bio-Medico University Hospital Foundation, from 2013 to 2020 were collected. A total of 2098 files were examined, and a set of 13 outcome indicators in the assessment of "quality of care" was proposed. (3) Results: From the total number, only 779 records (37.1%) were attributable to the categories indexable for the present analysis. This data highlights how, following a correct and rigorous categorization of hospital events, it is possible to analyze these medico-legal aspects using a small number of indicators. Furthermore, it is important to consider how a consistent percentage of remaining events was difficult to index, and was also of poor scientific interest. (4) Conclusions: The proposed indicators do not require standards to be compared to, but provide a useful instrument for comparative purposes. In fact, in addition to comparative assessment between different business realities distributed throughout the territory, the use of outcome indicators allows for a longitudinal analysis evaluating the performance of an individual structure over time.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Di Fazio
- Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic and Orthopaedic Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, 00128 Rome, Italy
| | - Matteo Scopetti
- Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic and Orthopaedic Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, 00128 Rome, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Delogu
- Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic and Orthopaedic Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, 00128 Rome, Italy
| | - Raffaele La Russa
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, 71122 Foggia, Italy
| | - Federica Foti
- Risk Management Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario "A Gemelli" IRCCS-Legal Medicine, Department of Health Surveillance and Bioethics, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Vincenzo M Grassi
- Risk Management Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario "A Gemelli" IRCCS-Legal Medicine, Department of Health Surveillance and Bioethics, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Vetrugno
- Risk Management Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario "A Gemelli" IRCCS-Legal Medicine, Department of Health Surveillance and Bioethics, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Francesco De Micco
- Research Unit of Bioethics and Humanities, Department of Medicine and Surgery, Università Campus 12 Bio-Medico di Roma, Via Alvaro del Portillo, 21, 00128 Roma, Italy
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Via Alvaro del Portillo, 200, 00128 Roma, Italy
| | - Anna De Benedictis
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Via Alvaro del Portillo, 200, 00128 Roma, Italy
- Research Unit of Nursing Science, Department of Medicine and Surgery, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Via Alvaro del Portillo, 21, 00128 Roma, Italy
| | - Vittoradolfo Tambone
- Research Unit of Bioethics and Humanities, Department of Medicine and Surgery, Università Campus 12 Bio-Medico di Roma, Via Alvaro del Portillo, 21, 00128 Roma, Italy
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Via Alvaro del Portillo, 200, 00128 Roma, Italy
| | - Raffaella Rinaldi
- Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic and Orthopaedic Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, 00128 Rome, Italy
| | - Paola Frati
- Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic and Orthopaedic Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, 00128 Rome, Italy
| | - Vittorio Fineschi
- Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic and Orthopaedic Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, 00128 Rome, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Parretti C, Tartaglia R, La Regina M, Venneri F, Sbrana G, Mandò M, Barach P. Improved FMEA Methods for Proactive Health Care Risk Assessment of the Effectiveness and Efficiency of COVID-19 Remote Patient Telemonitoring. Am J Med Qual 2022; 37:535-544. [PMID: 36250651 PMCID: PMC9622365 DOI: 10.1097/jmq.0000000000000089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the need to more effectively harness and leverage digital tools and technology for remote patient monitoring (RPM). RPM gained great popularity given the need to provide effective, safe, efficient, and remote patient care. RPM is based on noninvasive digital technologies aimed at improving the safety and efficiency of health care delivery. We report on an RPM program in which 200 COVID-19 patients were followed remotely to evaluate the effectiveness in treating and monitoring patients in home settings. We analyzed the inherent risks using mixed methods, including failure mode and effect analysis, a prospective, team-based risk management methodology structured to identify high-risk process system failures before they occur in telemonitoring of remote patients. The RPM saved lives and improved decision-making during the pandemic and helped prevent the health system's collapse. The failure mode and effect analysis-based assessment offers important insights and considerations for evaluating future RPM implementation and direction. RPM solutions are technically feasible, staff friendly, and can achieve high adherence rates. Rigorous and ongoing evaluation of devices and platforms is essential to clarifying their value and guiding national health and insurance health coverage decisions and adoption programs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Parretti
- Department of Science Engineering, Marconi University, Italy
| | | | | | | | - Giovanni Sbrana
- Department of Eemergency, South East Tuscany Healtcare Agency, Italy
| | - Massimo Mandò
- Department of Eemergency, South East Tuscany Healtcare Agency, Italy
| | - Paul Barach
- Jefferson College of Population Health, Philadelphia, PA
- Sigmund Freud University, Vienna, Austria
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Loibner M, Barach P, Wolfgruber S, Langner C, Stangl V, Rieger J, Föderl-Höbenreich E, Hardt M, Kicker E, Groiss S, Zacharias M, Wurm P, Gorkiewicz G, Regitnig P, Zatloukal K. Resilience and Protection of Health Care and Research Laboratory Workers During the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic: Analysis and Case Study From an Austrian High Security Laboratory. Front Psychol 2022; 13:901244. [PMID: 35936273 PMCID: PMC9353000 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.901244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has highlighted the interdependency of healthcare systems and research organizations on manufacturers and suppliers of personnel protective equipment (PPE) and the need for well-trained personnel who can react quickly to changing working conditions. Reports on challenges faced by research laboratory workers (RLWs) are rare in contrast to the lived experience of hospital health care workers. We report on experiences gained by RLWs (e.g., molecular scientists, pathologists, autopsy assistants) who significantly contributed to combating the pandemic under particularly challenging conditions due to increased workload, sickness and interrupted PPE supply chains. RLWs perform a broad spectrum of work with SARS-CoV-2 such as autopsies, establishment of virus cultures and infection models, development and verification of diagnostics, performance of virus inactivation assays to investigate various antiviral agents including vaccines and evaluation of decontamination technologies in high containment biological laboratories (HCBL). Performance of autopsies and laboratory work increased substantially during the pandemic and thus led to highly demanding working conditions with working shifts of more than eight hours working in PPE that stressed individual limits and also the ergonomic and safety limits of PPE. We provide detailed insights into the challenges of the stressful daily laboratory routine since the pandemic began, lessons learned, and suggest solutions for better safety based on a case study of a newly established HCBL (i.e., BSL-3 laboratory) designed for autopsies and research laboratory work. Reduced personal risk, increased resilience, and stress resistance can be achieved by improved PPE components, better training, redundant safety measures, inculcating a culture of safety, and excellent teamwork.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Martina Loibner
- Diagnostic and Research Institute of Pathology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Paul Barach
- Diagnostic and Research Institute of Pathology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
- College of Population Health, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- School of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Stella Wolfgruber
- Diagnostic and Research Institute of Pathology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Christine Langner
- Diagnostic and Research Institute of Pathology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Verena Stangl
- Diagnostic and Research Institute of Pathology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Julia Rieger
- Diagnostic and Research Institute of Pathology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | | | - Melina Hardt
- Diagnostic and Research Institute of Pathology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Eva Kicker
- Diagnostic and Research Institute of Pathology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Silvia Groiss
- Diagnostic and Research Institute of Pathology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Martin Zacharias
- Diagnostic and Research Institute of Pathology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Philipp Wurm
- Diagnostic and Research Institute of Pathology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Gregor Gorkiewicz
- Diagnostic and Research Institute of Pathology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Peter Regitnig
- Diagnostic and Research Institute of Pathology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Kurt Zatloukal
- Diagnostic and Research Institute of Pathology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| |
Collapse
|