Clinicians’ perception of the preventability of inpatient mortality
- Resource Type
- JOURNAL
- Authors
- Nash, Robert; Srinivasan, Ramya; Kenway, Bruno; Quinn, James
- Source
- International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, 2018, Vol. 31, Issue 2, pp. 131-139.
- Subject
- research-article
Research paper
cat-HSC
Health & social care
cat-HSQ
Health service quality
cat-HSD
Health service delivery
cat-HPL
Heathcare policy & law
Clinical audit
Clinical indicators
Health and safety
- Language
- English
- ISSN
- 0952-6862
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to assess whether clinicians have an accurate perception of the preventability of their patients’ mortality. Case note review estimates that approximately 5 percent of inpatient deaths are preventable. Design/methodology/approach The design involved in the study is a prospective audit of inpatient mortality in a single NHS hospital trust. The case study includes 979 inpatient mortalities. A number of outcome measures were recorded, including a Likert scale of the preventability of death- and NCEPOD-based grading of care quality. Findings Clinicians assessed only 1.4 percent of deaths as likely to be preventable. This is significantly lower than previously published values (p Research limitations/implications The implications of objective assessment of the preventability of mortality are essential to drive quality improvement in this area. Practical implications There is a wide disparity between independent case note review and clinicians assessing the care of their own patients. This may be due to a “knowledge gap” between reviewers and treating clinicians, or an “objectivity gap” meaning clinicians may not recognize preventability of death of patients under their care. Social implications This study gives some insight into deficiencies in clinical governance processes. Originality/value No similar study has been performed. This has significant implications for the idea of the preventability of mortality.