CareTrack Kids-part 3. Adverse events in children's healthcare in Australia: study protocol for a retrospective medical record review

Peter D Hibbert; Andrew R Hallahan; Stephen E Muething; Peter Lachman; Tamara D Hooper; Louise K Wiles; Adam Jaffe; Les White; Gavin R Wheaton; William B Runciman; Sarah Dalton; Helena M Williams; Jeffrey Braithwaite

doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2015-007750

CareTrack Kids-part 3. Adverse events in children's healthcare in Australia: study protocol for a retrospective medical record review

BMJ Open. 2015 Apr 8;5(4):e007750. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2015-007750.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Division of Education, Arts and Social Sciences, Centre for Sleep Research, School of Psychology, Social Work and Social Policy, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
² Patient Safety and Quality Unit, Children's Health Queensland Hospital and Health Service, Herston, Queensland, Australia.
³ Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.
⁴ Great Ormond St Hospital, Great Ormond St, London, UK.
⁵ Department of Paediatrics, School of Women's and Children's Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Department of Respiratory Medicine, Sydney Children's Hospital, Sydney Children's Hospital Network, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia.
⁶ Department of Paediatrics, School of Women's and Children's Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Department of NSW Kids and Families, New South Wales Health, North Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
⁷ Division of Paediatric Medicine, Women's and Children's Health Network, South Australia, Australia.
⁸ Division of Education, Arts and Social Sciences, Centre for Sleep Research, School of Psychology, Social Work and Social Policy, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia Australian Patient Safety Foundation, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
⁹ Emergency Department, Westmead Hospital, Western Sydney Local Health District, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia Clinical Excellence Commission, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
¹⁰ Russell Clinic, Blackwood, South Australia, Australia.
¹¹ Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Abstract

Introduction: A high-quality health system should deliver care that is free from harm. Few large-scale studies of adverse events have been undertaken in children's healthcare internationally, and none in Australia. The aim of this study is to measure the frequency and types of adverse events encountered in Australian paediatric care in a range of healthcare settings.

Methods and analysis: A form of retrospective medical record review, the Institute of Healthcare Improvement's Global Trigger Tool, will be modified to collect data. Records of children aged <16 years managed during 2012 and 2013 will be reviewed. We aim to review 6000-8000 records from a sample of healthcare practices (hospitals, general practices and specialists).

Ethics and dissemination: Human Research Ethics Committee approvals have been received from the Sydney Children's Hospital Network, Children's Health Queensland Hospital and Health Service, and the Women's and Children's Hospital Network in South Australia. An application is under review with the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. The authors will submit the results of the study to relevant journals and undertake national and international oral presentations to researchers, clinicians and policymakers.

Keywords: AUDIT.

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Publication types

Evaluation Study
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Australia
Child
Child Health Services / standards*
Child, Preschool
Clinical Protocols
Humans
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Medical Errors* / prevention & control
Medical Records
Patient Safety*
Quality Assurance, Health Care*
Quality Indicators, Health Care*
Retrospective Studies