Risk management in the operation room results of a pilot project of interdisciplinary "incident reporting"

Background: Methods for error analysis are suitable to increase patients' safety as well as staff satisfaction and may avoid, in a sense of process control, financial damage to the hospital. The aim of the presented pilot study was to establish and evaluate an incident reporting system as a first step towards a new safety culture. Methods: In June 2003 an incident reporting system was introduced in the central surgical suite, in which the surgical and anaesthesiologic departments took part as well medical and nursing staff. Besides conceiving a report form, a "board of confidence" was elected, kick-off meetings were held and a baseline study on the basis of industrial psychological knowledge was initialised. Results: The process of creating confidence is arduous and depends elementarily on sincere cooperation of management staff, especially of the heads of the departments. The exclusive participation of only two medical departments led to conflicts. Therefore, after finishing the pilot study, the system was expanded to the whole surgical suite including all operating departments. In order to increase the motivation for the strictly voluntarily participation, the frequency of regular echoes to the staff was optimised. To achieve high acceptance in the whole staff, the board of confidence needs a clearly defined position within the system of quality management. Conclusions: For the first time in Germany an incident reporting system under participation of several medical departments has been installed.