Reducing cognitive medical errors: A focus on organizational and individual factors

Cognitive medical errors (MEs) can have severe consequences for patients, including injury and even death. Therefore, examining the contributing factors to MEs is vital to develop appropriate interventions to prevent and minimize these errors. The study's primary aim," The association between cognitive medical errors and their contributing organizational and individual factors," was to investigate the association between cognitive MEs and hospitals' organizational factors and the unique psychological and functional factors.

They looked at cognitive medical errors.

This study looked at the relationship between cognitive medical errors (MEs) and various factors in three hospitals in Northern Jordan. The study included 400 participants who completed a self-administered questionnaire.

Functional and Psychological Factors may cause medical Errors.

The results showed a non-significant negative association between MEs and hospital organizational factors but a significant positive correlation between MEs and psychological and functional factors such as excessive workload, the complexity of tasks, stress, sleep deprivation, and fatigue.

The multi-group analysis also showed that the impact of psychological and functional factors on MEs was significant in the governmental public hospital and the private hospital but not in the university hospital.

Improvement is needed in hospital organizational safety.

The study concludes that to reduce the occurrence of MEs in hospitals, there needs to be an improvement in the organizational safety culture, and efforts should be directed at both the corporate and individual levels.

Health decision-makers should also develop strategies to reduce work-related stress and improve healthcare staff well-being to prevent cognitive impairments among healthcare workers and improve patient safety.

What is the significance of this study?

The significance of this study lies in its examination of the association between cognitive medical errors (MEs) and various factors, as understanding this relationship can help to inform the development of interventions to prevent or minimize MEs.

MEs can have severe consequences for patients, including injury and even death, so finding ways to reduce their occurrence is essential for patient safety. By looking at hospital organizational and individual psychological and functional factors, this study provides a more comprehensive understanding of the potential contributing factors to MEs and how they may differ between different types of hospitals.

The study's findings suggest that efforts to reduce MEs should focus on organizational and individual levels and include strategies to address work-related stress and improve healthcare staff well-being.

Healthcare organizations and decision-makers can use this information to inform the development and implementation of interventions to improve patient safety and reduce the occurrence of MEs.

How can this information be used in a practical setting?

Improving organizational safety culture:

The study found a non-significant negative association between cognitive medical errors (MEs) and hospital organizational factors. This suggests that enhancing the corporate safety culture effectively reduces the occurrence of MEs. This could involve implementing safety protocols and guidelines, promoting a safety culture among healthcare staff, and providing training and resources to support patient safety.

Reducing work-related stress and improving healthcare staff well-being:

The study found that psychological and functional factors such as excessive workload, the complexity of tasks, stress, sleep deprivation, and fatigue were predictors of MEs. This suggests that reducing work-related stress and improving the well-being of healthcare staff may be effective in reducing the occurrence of MEs. This could involve implementing strategies such as workload management, stress management training, and providing resources to support healthcare staff's physical and mental health.

Providing training and resources to support patient safety:

The findings of this study highlight the importance of addressing organizational and individual factors in reducing the occurrence of MEs. Training and resources to support patient safety help ensure that healthcare staff has the knowledge and tools to provide safe care. This could include communication, teamwork, and error prevention training, as well as access to resources such as checklists and decision support tools.

Implementing interventions at the individual and organizational level:

The findings of this study suggest that interventions to reduce the occurrence of MEs should be targeted at both the individual and organizational levels. This could involve implementing strategies such as those mentioned above, evaluating the effectiveness of these interventions, and making adjustments as needed.

This study showed a non-significant negative association between cognitive medical errors (MEs) and hospital organizational factors but a significant positive correlation between MEs and psychological and functional factors such as excessive workload and complexity of tasks, stress, sleep deprivation, and fatigue.

To reduce the occurrence of MEs in hospitals, it is essential to enhance the organizational safety culture and direct efforts at both the corporate and individual levels. Health decision-makers should also develop strategies to reduce work-related stress and improve healthcare staff well-being to prevent cognitive impairments among healthcare workers and improve patient safety.

Alyahya, M. S., Hijazi, H. H., Main, N. A., Farah, J. A., Khader, Y. S., & Al-Sheyab, N. (2021). The association between cognitive medical errors and their contributing organizational and individual factors. Risk Management and Healthcare Policy, 14, 415-430. doi:https://doi.org/10.2147/RMHP.S293110