Document Type
Article
Publication Date
5-1-2006
Abstract
A current problem in practice in the medical industry is the underreporting of medical errors. Accordingly, there is no way of knowing whether the harm from medical errors is accurately calculated. Rates of error reporting in high reliability organizations (HROs) exceed those in other industries, including health care. HROs and error reporting have traditionally been examined through a lens of organizational culture and but not from the perspective of individual variations. To study the effect of individual variations on medial error reporting, we build on existing social cognitive theory, specifically adapting Albert Bandura's Triadic Reciprocality Model. The adapted model explores the interaction of personal cognitive factors influenced by self-efficacy and outcome expectations, social behavior factors influenced by competing demands and clinical inertia, and environmental factors influenced by organizational culture and competing demands. Using a survey of health care professionals involved in direct patient care, the study assesses the likelihood that participants will report trivial, moderate and serious medical errors. The findings show that self-efficacy affects error reporting at all levels. Competing demands and clinical inertia affect the likelihood of reporting trivial errors. Self-efficacy affects the likelihood that moderate errors will be reported but clinical inertia, outcome expectancy and competing demands do not. Serious errors are more likely to be reported when self-efficacy is high. Organizational culture moderates the effects of clinical inertia on reporting trivial errors, and the effects of self-efficacy and outcome expectations on reporting serious errors. Lastly, the hospital work unit affects outcome-expectations and competing demands in the likelihood to report all medical errors. The results of the study target interventions to improve practice.
Keywords
medical errors
Rights
© The Author(s). Kelvin Smith Library provides access for non-commercial, personal, or research use only. All other use, including but not limited to commercial or scholarly reproductions, redistribution, publication or transmission, whether by electronic means or otherwise, without prior written permission is strictly prohibited.
Department/Center
Design & Innovation
Recommended Citation
Gibson, Anna H., "Reporting Medical Error: A Behavioral Perspective" (2006). Student Scholarship. 356.
https://commons.case.edu/studentworks/356