Among 1,009 patients who underwent surgery in Massachusetts hospitals in 2018, 38% experienced an adverse event — of which 26% were potentially preventable, according to a study published Nov. 13 in BMJ.
To determine the frequency, severity and preventability of surgical complications, researchers from Harvard Medical School and Boston-based Brigham and Women's Hospital reviewed a sample from a dataset of 64,121 adults admitted for surgery across 11 Massachusetts hospitals. Nurses and physicians reviewed the 1,009 patient records.
The researchers found that, among 593 adverse events, 476 were either potentially or definitely preventable.
The most common adverse events were related to surgical procedures (49.3%), adverse drug events (26.6%), healthcare-associated infections (12.4%), patient care events (11.2%) and blood transfusion reactions (0.5%).
Adverse events occurred most frequently in general care units, followed by operating rooms, intensive care units and recovery rooms.
"While emphasizing safety as a collective responsibility for all health professionals is important, it is essential to recognize the expertise of those ultimately responsible for patient care, such as attending physicians," the researchers said in conclusion. "In modern healthcare systems where organizational and administrative factors often drive delivery of care, concern is growing that physicians have limited input into decision making processes.
"By valuing the perspectives of frontline staff and promoting collaborative approaches to care delivery, we can strive toward a system that prioritizes patient safety while also supporting the well-being of health professionals."