Potential underreporting of medication errors in a psychiatric general hospital in Japan.

The purpose of this study was to explore a pattern of underreporting within a psychiatric general hospital in Japan. All the medication errors reported online in 2010 were analysed. This research was approved by the university and the study hospital. There were 651 incidents related to medication errors. Medication error rate per 1000 patient days was 2.14 (range: 0.45-6.05). Medication error rates between two acute care wards with comparable case and staff mix differed. A low proportion of intercepted near-misses and low medication error rates around mealtime in acute care 1 were suggestive of under-reporting. Two dementia care wards with low medication error rates had no report of intercepted errors, which was also suggestive of underreporting. Ward-specific medication error rates and patterns are useful to identify wards with potential underreporting of medication error within the hospital.

Pattern of underreporting falls in a general psychiatric hospital in Japan.

PURPOSE: To examine the pattern of underreporting of fall incidents in a general psychiatric hospital in Japan. DESIGN AND METHODS: All fall incidents were analyzed and stratified by ward. FINDINGS: A discrepancy in fall rates was found in acute psychiatric and dementia wards. The following indicators were suggestive of underreporting: "zero fall/1,000 patient-days," "proportion of falls without injury," and "proportion of falls identified as occurring in the bedroom as a fall location during certain time periods." PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Ward-specific fall rates, with further stratifications by time and location of the fall, were useful for identifying a pattern of underreporting.