Inpatient psychiatry incident review management: Part I. Special issues

Incident review (IR) is a process for achieving a better understanding of problems related to the health and safety of clients and the integrity of healthcare facilities. The purpose of IR is to identify and document adverse incidents through fact-finding. Incidents may vary in both type and levels of seriousness. Through careful documentation, investigation, and committee review, patterns of healthcare delivery can be discerned. The goal of IR is the development of systemic performance improvements in healthcare delivery, which may serve to anticipate and deter the recurrence of similar incidents. IR ensures that the quality and performance of healthcare delivery in the facility continue to be improved by both administrative and clinical staff members. This article examines IR in the context of the inpatient psychiatry unit.