MEDICAL errors can cause a lot of stress to the patients, doctors and medical institutions involved. In recent years, the number of medical errors occurring in public and private Saudi hospitals and clinics has increased. To counter this dangerous trend, concrete actions need to be taken. Also the authorities need to adopt policies to mitigate the psychological and economic impact of such errors. One solution is to increase the amount of compensation victims can claim. Currently, most insurance companies provide compensation ranging from SR100,000 to SR1 million for most cases of medical errors. In many countries, there is no cap on the amount of money a victim can claim but this also means insurance premiums are higher as is the cost of treatment. However, there is no concrete evidence to show allowing higher compensation results in fewer medical errors. Al-Riyadh daily investigated the issue and touched upon the role of insurance companies. According to Dr. Abdulwahab Al-Khamis, health insurance specialist, healthcare providers and patients view insurance differently. For patients, insurance makes it easy for them to claim monetary compensation. For hospitals, insurance allows doctors to practice their profession without having to worry about being sued by victims of medical errors. “However, in many countries where there is no cap on compensation, the question is: Have the astronomical figures of compensation against medical errors actually reduced the number of these errors? In fact, the amount of compensation increases annually and the insurance has driven the medical treatment expenses up,” he said.
Increasing awareness Dr. Noura Al-Ruwais, associate professor and consultant of family medicine, College of Medicine, King Khalid University Hospital, said the percentage of medical errors varies from one country to another. The Patient Safety and Quality Healthcare Magazine, published in the United States, said 440,000 patients die annually due to medical errors. In Canada, one out of every six patients became a victim of medical error over the past two years, said Dr. Al-Ruwais. “The causes are numerous. First, the profession of medicine is difficult and the doctor has to be well-versed in the latest developments in the concerned field. Secondly, the doctor might have a very busy schedule and this will affect his performance. Other causes include problems with the healthcare system itself and a lack of resources as well as wrong prescriptions and misdiagnoses,” she said. Often, a patient can be the cause of the error by not mentioning important medical conditions and allergies to the doctor or failing to disclose current medications he or she is using, she noted. Pharmacists and laboratory technicians can also make errors. To solve this problem, doctors should be frequently assessed to ensure they are up to date with the latest developments in their respective fields. The health system should provide all resources a hospital needs and set strict regulations for the practice of medicine. Most importantly, patients should be educated about the medical conditions they suffer from and the medical procedures they may undergo.
Various errors Dr. Fahad Arab, health education adviser, says the public should be aware of the fact that a medical error can happen due to several reasons. It could be the healthcare provider's fault, the lack of proper equipment or a doctor's failure to observe safety procedures. Medical errors are bound to happen and there is no way to stop them completely but their impact can be mitigated, he stressed. “For example, a healthcare facility can reduce the rate of medical errors by ensuring that the patient's file contains accurate information. Doctors should record everything the patient has or suffers from in his record. Hospitals can also publish studies on common medical errors and complications and allow their doctors to talk about them in seminars,” Arab said. Dr. Salim Abdullah Al-Wahabi, director of the Saudi Central Board for Accreditation of Healthcare Institutions, said some medical errors could cause irreparable damage. “Such errors should not have occurred in the first place. Minor errors can be corrected, however. Regardless of the magnitude of the error, medical facilities should do everything in their means so medical errors do not occur,” he said.
