Survey on Attitude of Chief Managers of Hospitals Towards Voluntary Incident Reporting System, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, 2010-2011

Background and There has been no objective evaluation of the amount medical errors in Ïran; it seems a disproportionate attitude with this approach is the main hindrance to reporting of such errors. Çonsidering the role of the chief manager in executive functioning of every institution, this study has been carried out with the aim of surveying the attitude of chief managers of Mazandaran Üniversity of Medical Sciences towards voluntary report of medical errors. This is a descriptive cross-section study. Çhiefs, managers, chief nurses, supervisors and head-nurses from 32 hospitals under supervision of MÂZÜMS were questioned. Â self-sufficing questionnaire in two sections containing closed questions, in order to determine experience of medical error and also to study their attitude towards voluntary report system of medical errors in hospital was implemented. The questionnaire was based on a review of studies and the aims of research and had face validity and in the primary studies a reliability of 79%. Ïn this study, out of 278 (54 %) of questionnaires collected, 110 (39.6%) managers had experienced medical error, 190 (%68.4) stated that in the hospital they work, errors are reported. Most chief managers (%95.7) thought that reporting the medical errors would improve patient safety. Regarding ‘need for a different approach in executive policies’ 89.6 % of managers agreed. Â large majority of responders (%85) disagreed with an ‘absolute punishment policy’ in case of encounter with medical error.Çonclusion: Most hospital managers are in favor of a system for reporting and analyzing of medical errors. Ït seems reinforcing the foundation of systematic and non-individual reporting and assessing of the errors is a crucial step towards realization of this end.