Mixed-Methods Evaluation of Real-Time Safety Reporting by Hospitalized Patients and Their Care Partners: The MySafeCare Application.

OBJECTIVE: The aims of the study were to evaluate the amount and content of data patients and care partners reported using a real-time electronic safety tool compared with other reporting mechanisms and to understand their perspectives on safety concerns and reporting in the hospital. METHODS: This study used mixed methods including 20-month preimplementation and postimplementation trial evaluating MySafeCare, a web-based application, which allows hospitalized patients/care partners to report safety concerns in real time. The study compared MySafeCare submission rates for three hospital units (oncology acute care, vascular intermediate care, medical intensive care) with submissions rates of Patient Family Relations (PFR) Department, a hospital service to address patient/family concerns. The study used triangulation of quantitative data with thematic analysis of safety concern submissions and patient/care partner interviews to understand submission content and perspectives on safety reporting. RESULTS: Thirty-two MySafeCare submissions were received with an average rate of 1.7 submissions per 1000 patient-days and a range of 0.3 to 4.8 submissions per 1000 patient-days across all units, indicating notable variation between units. MySafeCare submission rates were significantly higher than PFR submission rates during the postintervention period on the vascular unit (4.3 [95% confidence interval = 2.8-6.5] versus 1.5 [95% confidence interval = 0.7-3.1], Poisson) (P = 0.01). Overall trends indicated a decrease in PFR submissions after MySafeCare implementation. Triangulated data indicated patients preferred to report anonymously and did not want concerns submitted directly to their care team. CONCLUSIONS: MySafeCare evaluation confirmed the potential value of providing an electronic, anonymous reporting tool in the hospital to capture safety concerns in real time. Such applications should be tested further as part of patient safety programs.

Distal esophageal foreign bodies: is it a common occurrence post-fundoplication requiring immediate intervention?

OBJECTIVE: Dysphagia secondary to "tight" distal esophageal wraps are a well-known complication of Nissen fundoplication (NF). However, the literature makes no mention of distal esophageal foreign bodies (DEFB) appearing after NF. This study was undertaken to determine the occurrence of asymptomatic DEFB in children post-fundoplication. METHODS: A retrospective review and case series of radiographic images of children who underwent NF between 2001 and 2004. Images reviewed include chest and abdominal radiographs, esophagrams, and oropharyngeal motility studies. MAIN OUTCOME: DEFB on radiology report and image. RESULTS: Two hundred and thirty-three children (135 males and 98 females) underwent NF at the ages of 15 days to 19.5 years. Two thousand and seven radiographs were reviewed. Five FBs (2.15%) were noted. Four of the five FBs (80%, overall incidence 1.72%) were present in the distal esophagus. Three required rigid esophagoscopy (one marble and one with multiple foreign bodies (FBs) for removal. One who had a distal FB seen on barium swallow 'spontaneously passed' during esophagoscopy. CONCLUSION: DEFB in children status post-NF is unusual with an incidence 1.72% of our patients. Our review might be underestimating the incidence as translucent foreign bodies may have been missed. DEFB are surprising due to the fact that most of these children are neurologically impaired and gastrostomy-tube fed. The children's NPO status may also result in these DEFB remaining asymptomatic until being 'incidentally' found on radiographic imaging. Thus, NF may predispose to obstruction when a foreign body (FB) is ingested; but because of the population involved, this remains a fairly unusual entity. However, the presence of a DEFB in this population may necessitate prompt endoscopic retrieval as the likelihood of spontaneous passage is less.