Summary:
Aim: This descriptive type of cross sectional study was conducted
with an objective to evaluate the views of doctors regarding
knowledge and practices about patient safety working at primary
and secondary level health care facilities in Bangladesh.
Methods: Study period was from August 2016 to December
2016. Multistage, convenience sampling was done . Sample
size was 550. Self administered semi structured questionnaire
was used for data collection after pre testing. Data was
collected by principle investigator , co-investigator & data
collectors. Data was also collected by sending questionnaire
by postage followed by a focal group discussion.
Results: Result showed 70 % were male and 57% were
primary level medical officers. 44.9% understands patients
safety. 51.1% understands medical errors . 37.5% agreed
that less duty hours will reduce medical errors . 62% strongly
agreed that Learning about patient safety will enhance
competency. 44.5% agreed that undergraduate course
prepared them to ensure patient safety. 37.5 % agreed that
they learned about medical errors during their undergraduate
course. 40.6% stated that they were assigned to perform the
tasks for which they were not trained competently, 34% said
that they were assigned to perform the tasks which could
have resulted easily in medical errors .
Most of the respondents strongly agreed that teaching about
patient safety should be an important priority. 46% stated
that these should be in clinical teaching and 40% stated the
same to be in bed side teaching . 24% stated that there were
not enough topics in the existing curriculum regarding
patient safety. 46% confessed that they made medical errors
during their practices. 33% stated that they want patient
safety education in their professional practice, 76.9%
strongly agreed that patient safety is an important issue in
their professional practices and 44% sensitizes their
colleagues about patient safety to learn & practices. 54.7%
stated that they did not have error reporting system/ death
review/ medical audit in their hospital, 89.7% did not have
attended any training on patient safety . 90% thought that
training on patient safety is essential for doctors 67.2%
respondents opined that there should be a competent
organization / body who can take care of patient safety &
medical errors in Bangladesh.
Conclusion: The study reflects that many primary level
medical officers do not understand patients safety and
medical errors. The study also showed that most of them has
a positive attitude torwards patient safety.
Study recommended that doctors serving at primary and
secondary level healthcare facilities to be oriented/ trained
on different aspects of patient safety .
Key words : Bangladesh, Knowledge and Practices of Doctors,
Patient Safety, Primary and Secondary Level Health Care
Facilities.
(J Bangladesh Coll Phys Surg 2020; 38: 5-11)
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jbcps.v38i1.44682