"Scared to go to the Hospital": Inpatient Experiences with Undesirable Events

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Safety
• Patient Experience
• Qualitative Research

Background:

• Patient involvement in healthcare safety is crucial but understudied.
• Understanding patient perceptions of undesirable events is needed.
• The role of patients in preventing hospital safety events requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore pediatric inpatients' and caregivers' perspectives on undesirable hospital events.
• To identify patient- and caregiver-reported categories of safety events.
• To understand patient information needs during adverse events and preferred delivery methods.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative survey of pediatric inpatients and caregivers.
• Analysis of patient and caregiver narratives describing undesirable events.
• Examination of information needs and preferences.

Main Results:

• Four major categories of undesirable events were identified: mismanagement, communication issues, policy concerns, and lack of care coordination.
• Patients and caregivers described a wide range of specific safety concerns.
• Key information needs and preferred communication channels were elucidated.

Conclusions:

• Patient and caregiver perspectives offer valuable insights into hospital safety.
• Addressing identified event categories can enhance patient safety.
• Developing inpatient technologies informed by patient needs can empower prevention efforts.