Muhammad Imran Ameer, Zainab Fatima Zaidi, Muhammad Taha Aziz, Hammad Hassan, Muhammad Sannan Qayyum, Sidra Riaz.
Analysis of reporting system for procedural errors in the endodontics departments of dental institutes of Punjab.
Biomedica Jan ;39(2):67-72.

Background and Objective: A reporting system for procedural errors is important in healthcare departments. Adherence to the standard operating procedures is essential to ensure the safety and quality of care of the patients. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the presence of an effective reporting system for procedural errors and their management in endodontics departments of private and public dental institutes in Punjab. Methods: This questionnaire-based cross-sectional study was conducted from January 2022 to December 2022 on 205 consenting participants working in endodontics departments of six private and two public dental institutes in Punjab. The validated questionnaire consisted of 14 items targeting demographics, reporting systems for procedural errors, and ways to manage these errors. The chi-square test was used to compare the categorical variables. A p-value less than or equal to 0.05 was set as significant. Results: There were 205 participants with a response rate of 98%. Of these, 68.5% were females and 31.5% were males. A total of 60.5% of colleges, both private and public, lacked a reporting system for procedural errors, and 70.1% did not have a hierarchical order for managing these errors. The most frequent approach was self-management of errors (86.5%), followed by referring to a senior endodontist (45%) and asking colleagues for help (36.5%). 13% and 6% of the participants did not inform about the procedural errors to their patients, and departments respectively. There was a statistically significant difference (p = 0.007) between house officers, postgraduate trainees, and demonstrators regarding self-management of errors and follow-up of the patients. Conclusion: Most endodontics departments lack a reporting system for procedural errors and a hierarchical structure for their management in both private and public institutes. Therefore, policy making and implementation pertaining to the deployment of a standard but comprehensive error reporting system is pivotal for improving healthcare services and outcomes for the patients visiting the dental institutes in Punjab.

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