Amid recurring allegations of medical negligence and reports that many aspects of medical practices are error-prone, the Health Ministry has launched a pilot project to ensure patient safety by setting up specially assigned panels in hospitals to monitor preventable errors.

Under the project, the government has set up patient safety committees in three central government institutions --Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, Safdarjung Hospital and Lady Hardinge Medical College and its associated hospitals—in Delhi. These committees review various patient safety issues, adverse events reported, actions taken therein etc on monthly basis. These panels have already started monitoring the preventable errors, through analysis of ‘adverse events’ reported.

Depending on the success of the pilot project, the scheme will be extended to all government hospitals and the Health Ministry will also look into the possibility of making the creation of such panels mandatory in the private sector too, sources said, adding that the government has taken up the patient safety issues on a priority basis. This Patient Safety Project will aim at providing successful and health outcome of patient care and availability of expert and advanced medical care.

Besides, the ministry may also assign a study to estimate the quantum of medical errors as there is no sufficient data on the occurrence of preventable error across the country. The India Clinical Epidemiology Network (India CLEN), in partnership with AIIMS, New Delhi and PGIMER, Chandigarh has submitted a study proposal to assess the burden of medication errors. This is expected to bring out details on errors in resuscitation and the adverse events including death following the treatment practices. The study aims at identifying the determinants of medical errors so that appropriate interventions can be designed and implemented.

Apart from the recurring reports of medical negligence, the findings of an earlier study by India CLEN prompted the government to launch the project. The nationwide study ‘Assessment of Injection Practices in India’ was conducted by India CLEN for the department of Family Welfare. As per the study, nearly two-thirds of the injections administered in India were found to be unsafe.