REPORT WRITING

The Ethical and Medico-legal Implications of Report Writing

The Ethical and Medico-legal Implications of Report Writing

Critically analyze the ethical and legal aspects of reporting in relation to the impact of reports on patient management.

Reporting and learning to ensure patient safety

The most important knowledge in the area of ??patient safety is the knowledge of how to prevent harm to patients during treatment and care. The primary purpose of reporting systems on patient safety is to enhance patient safety by learning examples bad experience of the health system. Health care errors often occur because of weak systems and often have a common root cause, which can be summarized and corrected. While each event is unique, in the sources of risk can be similarities and common trends that can be overlooked, if records of the cases are not maintained and analyzed (Brealeya, Scallyb, et al, 2005, p. 232-241).

The World Health Organization (WHO) is working with Professor Luciano LEAPS (Lucian Leape) on the preparation of the draft guidelines for reporting and learning systems to adverse events to assist countries in developing and improving reporting systems and training programs to improve the safety of patient care. Accountability is critical to identifying problems in patient safety. However, by itself it will never be able to give a comprehensive picture of all the sources of risk and harm to patients. The guidelines also suggest other sources of information on patient safety, which can be used by health services and at the national level (Brealeya, Scallyb, et al, 2005, p. 232-241).

It can be said that reporting is essential in healthcare (Tudor, Finlay, et al, 1997, p. 235-238). This is said considering the fact that, reporting is one way that provides a chance for the healthcare providers to keep the exact track of things, related to the health of the patient, such as, current condition of the patient, measuring improvements in the condition of the patient and the effectiveness of the medicine and the treatment that is being given to him or her (Tudor, Finlay, et al, 1997, p. 235-238).

Benefits associated with the reporting of adverse events by patients

Only a few European countries currently allow patients to directly submit reports of adverse reactions, although several studies conducted in the Netherlands and England have shown that the reporting of adverse events reported by patients and health professionals have complementary roles. The Regional Pharmacological Centre compared the adverse event reports made by patients with their medical records. The study included 100 patients (mean age 55 years, 79% were female). The patients had consulted a specialist in internal medicine between February 1, 2009 and July 30, 2009. Patients were asked to complete a questionnaire, which was then compared with their medical records. Three-quarters of patients reported one or more adverse effects, 38% of which was recorded in the medical record. According to the doctors of the department, 2% of these adverse events should be reported to the regional Pharmacological center. Patients and doctors have reported adverse effects and different doctors tended to report ...