Exploring Changes in Patient Safety Incidents During the COVID-19 Pandemic in a Canadian Regional Hospital System: A Retrospective Time Series Analysis

Conclusions Despite no observed changes in overall number, significant composition shifts in PSIs occurred during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, with increased falls on internal medicine and complex continuing care wards. Possible explanations include restrictions on patient visitation, reduced patient contact/supervision, and/or personal protective equipment requirements. Providers should maintain a particularly high vigilance for patient falls during pandemic outbreaks, and hospitals should consider targeting resources to higher-risk locations. The results of this study reinforce the need for ongoing pandemic PSI monitoring and rapidly adaptive responses to new patient safety concerns.
Source: Journal of Patient Safety - Category: Health Management Tags: Original Studies Source Type: research