Reporting of Sentinel Events

According to the Department of Health, private hospitals should report sentinel events to DH within 24 hours of occurrence.

Below is the List of Reportable Sentinel Events from Department of Health (effective as of 4 May 2010)

Events that lead to death / serious outcome

  1. Surgery or interventional procedure involving wrong patient or wrong body part.
  2. Unintended retention of instruments or other materials after surgery or interventional procedures.
  3. Transfusion reaction arising from incompatibility of blood / blood products.
  4. Medication error involving death or serious injury.
  5. Intravascular gas embolism resulting in death or serious injury.
  6. Death of an in-patient from suicide.
  7. Unanticipated maternal death or serious maternal injury associated with labour or delivery and occurring within 42 days after delivery.
  8. Infant discharged to wrong family or infant abduction.
  9. Unanticipated death or serious injury of a full-term infant within 7 days after birth.
  10. Unanticipated death or serious injury that occurs during or within 48 hours after operation or interventional procedures.

Unanticipated events that possibly lead to death or serious injury / possess significant public health risk

  1. Medication error that carries a significant public health risk.
  2. Patient misidentification which could have led to death or serious injury.
  3. Any other events that have resulted in an unanticipated death or serious injury, or with significant public health risk
Others

 

Should any patient of yours unluckily fall into any category, please inform hospital administration via the Deputy Medical Director (DMD) or a senior nurse as soon as possible.  For immediate assistance, please contact the DMD Office at 2608 8229/ 2608 3125 or the Customer Service Department at 2608 3208.

 It is always appropriate to discuss widely when there is uncertainty, and doctors may call A Leung directly.

 

 

Reference: Department of Health (2010).  Sentinel Event Investigation Form.  Office for Registration of Healthcare Institutions, Department of Health, HKSAR (Reference: (23) in DH/ORHI/11/1/1/1 Pt. 11)