Ahn Song Ii, Lee Won, Song Dong Ho
Graduate School, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Department of Nursing, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Psychiatry Investig. 2020 Sep;17(9):865-870. doi: 10.30773/pi.2019.0350. Epub 2020 Aug 28.
Medical accidents have resulted in actual harm for patients, been costly for health care system, and diminished trust for both patients and practitioners. The present study analyzed malpractice claims related to accidents in psychiatric inpatient units.
This study analyzed defendants, cases and plaintiffs or patients characteristics, degrees of injury, and types of accidents in 85 civil malpractice suits filed from 2005 to 2015 with a focus on the methods and locations of suicides.
Most defendants were psychiatrists (n=43). Of the 85 cases, 56 (65.9%) were decided in favor of the plaintiff, most commonly on the grounds of negligence and violation of sound facility management principles. The most common diagnosis of patients was schizophrenia (n=31). The damages were deaths in 52 cases and injuries or other damages in the remaining 33 cases. The most common accident was suicide (n=28), followed by escape attempts (n=15). The most common suicide method was hanging (n=21), which was usually committed in the private room using objects like door handles.
To reduce medical accidents, medical staff should monitor high-risk patients closely and constantly. Sufficient numbers of well-trained personnel are required to meet this standard. Reducing environmental hazards such as removing anchor points and installing door locking systems will improve patient safety.
医疗事故给患者带来了实际伤害，给医疗系统造成了高昂成本，并削弱了患者和从业者之间的信任。本研究分析了与精神科住院病房事故相关的医疗事故索赔。
本研究分析了2005年至2015年期间提起的85起民事医疗事故诉讼中的被告、案件及原告或患者的特征、伤害程度和事故类型，重点关注自杀的方法和地点。
大多数被告是精神科医生（n = 43）。在85起案件中，56起（65.9%）判决原告胜诉，最常见的理由是疏忽和违反健全的设施管理原则。患者最常见的诊断是精神分裂症（n = 31）。损害情况为52例死亡，其余33例为受伤或其他损害。最常见的事故是自杀（n = 28），其次是逃跑企图（n = 15）。最常见的自杀方法是上吊（n = 21），通常在私人房间使用门把手等物品实施。
为减少医疗事故，医护人员应密切且持续地监测高危患者。需要足够数量训练有素的人员来达到这一标准。减少环境危害，如移除固定点和安装门锁系统，将提高患者安全。
