Adverse events and in-hospital mortality: an analysis of all deaths in a Norwegian health trust during 2011
Abstract Background The estimated number of in-hospitals deaths due to adverse events is often different when using data from deceased patients compared with that of a population experiencing adverse events. Methods The study was conducted at three hospitals in the Bergen Hospital Trust, including a...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2017-07-01
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| Series: | BMC Health Services Research |
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| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12913-017-2417-7 |
| _version_ | 1818947483572633600 |
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| author | Hans Flaatten Guttorm Brattebø Bjørn Alme Kjersti Berge Jan H. Rosland Asgaut Viste Bjørn Bertelsen Stig Harthug Sidsel Aardal |
| author_facet | Hans Flaatten Guttorm Brattebø Bjørn Alme Kjersti Berge Jan H. Rosland Asgaut Viste Bjørn Bertelsen Stig Harthug Sidsel Aardal |
| author_sort | Hans Flaatten |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The estimated number of in-hospitals deaths due to adverse events is often different when using data from deceased patients compared with that of a population experiencing adverse events. Methods The study was conducted at three hospitals in the Bergen Hospital Trust, including a 950-bed university hospital. The objective was to study the reported deaths and investigate the probable number of deaths caused by adverse events. Information about all patients who died in the hospitals during 2011 was retrieved from the electronic patient data management system and the medical records. All deaths were classified into two groups according to Norwegian law based on whether or not the death was sudden and/or unexpected. The cause of death in the latter group was further classified as being due to either natural or unnatural causes according to national requirements. An expert review panel screened the patient records for information regarding adverse events and possible (≥ 50%) preventability. Age, length of hospital stay, and Charlson Comorbidity Index were also registered. Results There were 59,605 unique patients admitted in 2011 and 1185 registered deaths (1.98%). The mean and median ages of the deceased were 73,8 and 78 years, respectively, and the median length of stay was 5.6 days (range). Of these deaths, 290 (24.5%) were considered sudden and/or unexpected and 218 were considered to be due to natural causes. Of the 72 unnatural deaths, 16 (1.4%) were classified as preventable or probably preventable. For 18 deaths (%) it was impossible to confirm or rule out preventability. Conclusions Using this method, we identified a small proportion of hospital deaths that could be classified as unnatural. Furthermore, there was a ≥ 50% chance or more that 34 deaths (2.9%) were due to causes that could have been prevented. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-20T08:31:37Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-32961b886fcd402abdc592463bf0bc16 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1472-6963 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-20T08:31:37Z |
| publishDate | 2017-07-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Health Services Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-32961b886fcd402abdc592463bf0bc162022-12-21T19:46:41ZengBMCBMC Health Services Research1472-69632017-07-011711710.1186/s12913-017-2417-7Adverse events and in-hospital mortality: an analysis of all deaths in a Norwegian health trust during 2011Hans Flaatten0Guttorm Brattebø1Bjørn Alme2Kjersti Berge3Jan H. Rosland4Asgaut Viste5Bjørn Bertelsen6Stig Harthug7Sidsel Aardal8Department of Anaesthesia & Intensive Care, Haukeland University HospitalDepartment of Anaesthesia & Intensive Care, Haukeland University HospitalDepartment of Anaesthesia & Intensive Care, Haukeland University HospitalDepartment of Research and Development, Haukeland University HospitalDepartment of Clinical Medicine, University of BergenDepartment of Clinical Medicine, University of BergenDepartment of Pathology, Haukeland University HospitalDepartment of Research and Development, Haukeland University HospitalDepartment of Research and Development, Haukeland University HospitalAbstract Background The estimated number of in-hospitals deaths due to adverse events is often different when using data from deceased patients compared with that of a population experiencing adverse events. Methods The study was conducted at three hospitals in the Bergen Hospital Trust, including a 950-bed university hospital. The objective was to study the reported deaths and investigate the probable number of deaths caused by adverse events. Information about all patients who died in the hospitals during 2011 was retrieved from the electronic patient data management system and the medical records. All deaths were classified into two groups according to Norwegian law based on whether or not the death was sudden and/or unexpected. The cause of death in the latter group was further classified as being due to either natural or unnatural causes according to national requirements. An expert review panel screened the patient records for information regarding adverse events and possible (≥ 50%) preventability. Age, length of hospital stay, and Charlson Comorbidity Index were also registered. Results There were 59,605 unique patients admitted in 2011 and 1185 registered deaths (1.98%). The mean and median ages of the deceased were 73,8 and 78 years, respectively, and the median length of stay was 5.6 days (range). Of these deaths, 290 (24.5%) were considered sudden and/or unexpected and 218 were considered to be due to natural causes. Of the 72 unnatural deaths, 16 (1.4%) were classified as preventable or probably preventable. For 18 deaths (%) it was impossible to confirm or rule out preventability. Conclusions Using this method, we identified a small proportion of hospital deaths that could be classified as unnatural. Furthermore, there was a ≥ 50% chance or more that 34 deaths (2.9%) were due to causes that could have been prevented.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12913-017-2417-7Adverse eventsHospitalDeath |
| spellingShingle | Hans Flaatten Guttorm Brattebø Bjørn Alme Kjersti Berge Jan H. Rosland Asgaut Viste Bjørn Bertelsen Stig Harthug Sidsel Aardal Adverse events and in-hospital mortality: an analysis of all deaths in a Norwegian health trust during 2011 BMC Health Services Research Adverse events Hospital Death |
| title | Adverse events and in-hospital mortality: an analysis of all deaths in a Norwegian health trust during 2011 |
| title_full | Adverse events and in-hospital mortality: an analysis of all deaths in a Norwegian health trust during 2011 |
| title_fullStr | Adverse events and in-hospital mortality: an analysis of all deaths in a Norwegian health trust during 2011 |
| title_full_unstemmed | Adverse events and in-hospital mortality: an analysis of all deaths in a Norwegian health trust during 2011 |
| title_short | Adverse events and in-hospital mortality: an analysis of all deaths in a Norwegian health trust during 2011 |
| title_sort | adverse events and in hospital mortality an analysis of all deaths in a norwegian health trust during 2011 |
| topic | Adverse events Hospital Death |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12913-017-2417-7 |
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