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Georgia Hospital Association.
All Rights Reserved.
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PHA Medication Error Severity
Index
This index classifies an error according to the severity of
the outcome. The index considers factors such as whether the error
reached the patient and, if the patient was harmed, and to what
degree.
| Type of Error Category Result |
|
| No Error |
|
| Category A |
Circumstances or events that have
the capacity to cause error
|
| Error, No Harm |
|
| Category B |
An error occurred but the error did not reach
the patient (An "error of omission" does reach the
patient) |
| Category C |
An error occurred that reached the patient but
did not cause patient harm |
| Category D |
An error occurred that reached the
patient and required monitoring to confirm that it resulted
in no harm to the patient and/or required intervention to
preclude harm |
| Error, Harm |
|
| Category E |
An error occurred that may have contributed
to or resulted in temporary harm to the patient and required
intervention |
| Category F |
An error occurred that may have contributed
to or resulted in temporary harm to the patient and required
initial or prolonged hospitalization |
| Category G |
An error occurred that may have contributed
to or resulted in permanent patient harm |
| Category H |
An error occurred that required
intervention necessary to sustain life |
| Error, Death |
|
| Category I |
An error occurred that may have contributed
to or resulted in the patient's death |
DEFINITIONS
- Harm - Temporary or permanent impariment of the physical,
emotional or psychological function or structure of the body
and/or pain resulting therefrom requiring intevention.
- Monitoring - To observe or record relevant physiological or
psychological signs.
- Intervention - May include change in therapy or active medical/surgical
treatment.
- Intervention Necessary to Sustain Life - Includes cardiovascular
and respiratory support (e.g., CPR, defibrillation, intubation,
etc.)
Source: National Coordinating Council for Medication
Error Reporting and Prevention (NCCMERP) Revised: 06/12/01
For
more information on the Safe Medication Use Sub Committee please
email us at: pha@gha.org
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