Patient safety incident reporting systems and reporting practices in African healthcare organisations: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background Patient safety incident reporting and learning systems are crucial for improving the safety and quality of healthcare. However, comprehensive evidence of their availability and use in African healthcare organisations is lacking. Therefore, this review aims to synthesise the existing liter...

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Main Authors: Andrea P Marshall, Georgia Tobiano, Gelana Fekadu, Rachel Muir, Michael J Ireland, Melaku Tadege Engidaw
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMJ Publishing Group 2025-02-01
Series:BMJ Open Quality
Online Access:https://bmjopenquality.bmj.com/content/14/1/e003202.full
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author Andrea P Marshall
Georgia Tobiano
Gelana Fekadu
Rachel Muir
Michael J Ireland
Melaku Tadege Engidaw
author_facet Andrea P Marshall
Georgia Tobiano
Gelana Fekadu
Rachel Muir
Michael J Ireland
Melaku Tadege Engidaw
author_sort Andrea P Marshall
collection DOAJ
description Background Patient safety incident reporting and learning systems are crucial for improving the safety and quality of healthcare. However, comprehensive evidence of their availability and use in African healthcare organisations is lacking. Therefore, this review aims to synthesise the existing literature on these systems and reporting practices within African healthcare organisations.Methods A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Five electronic databases, including PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) via EBSCOhost, Scopus, Web of Science and the Excerpta Medica Database (Embase), were searched to identify relevant records. Peer-reviewed articles and guidelines published in English were included in this review. Quality appraisal was performed using the Joanna Briggs Institute and Quality Assessment with Diverse Studies tool. A random effects model was used to compute the pooled prevalence using Stata V.17.0.Results A systematic search retrieved 9279 records, of which 39 (36 articles and 3 guidelines) were included in this review. Eight patient safety incident reporting and learning systems were identified, with compliance rates ranging from low (16%) to high (87%) based on the WHO criteria. The pooled prevalence of patient safety incident reporting practices was 48% (95% CI 40% to 56%). However, the studies exhibited high heterogeneity (I²=98.75%, p<0.001).Conclusion In African healthcare organisations, it is imperative to establish robust patient safety incident reporting and learning systems, as none of the existing systems fully meet WHO criteria. In addition, optimising the existing systems and encouraging healthcare professionals to improve reporting practices will enhance patient safety and outcomes.PROSPERO registration number CRD42023455168.
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spelling doaj-art-9ef361632b9b416ba0ca5fa4620f0f522025-08-20T02:03:57ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open Quality2399-66412025-02-0114110.1136/bmjoq-2024-003202Patient safety incident reporting systems and reporting practices in African healthcare organisations: a systematic review and meta-analysisAndrea P Marshall0Georgia Tobiano1Gelana Fekadu2Rachel Muir3Michael J Ireland4Melaku Tadege Engidaw5School of Nursing and Midwifery, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, 1 Parklands Dr, Southport, Queensland, Australia 4222National Health and Medical Research Council, Centre of Research Excellence in Wiser Wound Care, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, 1 Parklands Dr, Southport, Queensland, Australia 4222School of Nursing and Midwifery, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, 1 Parklands Dr, Southport, Queensland, Australia 4222School of Nursing and Midwifery, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, 1 Parklands Dr, Southport, Queensland, Australia 4222School of Psychology and Wellbeing, University of Southern Queensland - Ipswich Campus, Ipswich, Queensland, AustraliaPublic Health, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, 1 Parklands Dr, Southport, Queensland, Australia 4222Background Patient safety incident reporting and learning systems are crucial for improving the safety and quality of healthcare. However, comprehensive evidence of their availability and use in African healthcare organisations is lacking. Therefore, this review aims to synthesise the existing literature on these systems and reporting practices within African healthcare organisations.Methods A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Five electronic databases, including PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) via EBSCOhost, Scopus, Web of Science and the Excerpta Medica Database (Embase), were searched to identify relevant records. Peer-reviewed articles and guidelines published in English were included in this review. Quality appraisal was performed using the Joanna Briggs Institute and Quality Assessment with Diverse Studies tool. A random effects model was used to compute the pooled prevalence using Stata V.17.0.Results A systematic search retrieved 9279 records, of which 39 (36 articles and 3 guidelines) were included in this review. Eight patient safety incident reporting and learning systems were identified, with compliance rates ranging from low (16%) to high (87%) based on the WHO criteria. The pooled prevalence of patient safety incident reporting practices was 48% (95% CI 40% to 56%). However, the studies exhibited high heterogeneity (I²=98.75%, p<0.001).Conclusion In African healthcare organisations, it is imperative to establish robust patient safety incident reporting and learning systems, as none of the existing systems fully meet WHO criteria. In addition, optimising the existing systems and encouraging healthcare professionals to improve reporting practices will enhance patient safety and outcomes.PROSPERO registration number CRD42023455168.https://bmjopenquality.bmj.com/content/14/1/e003202.full
spellingShingle Andrea P Marshall
Georgia Tobiano
Gelana Fekadu
Rachel Muir
Michael J Ireland
Melaku Tadege Engidaw
Patient safety incident reporting systems and reporting practices in African healthcare organisations: a systematic review and meta-analysis
BMJ Open Quality
title Patient safety incident reporting systems and reporting practices in African healthcare organisations: a systematic review and meta-analysis
title_full Patient safety incident reporting systems and reporting practices in African healthcare organisations: a systematic review and meta-analysis
title_fullStr Patient safety incident reporting systems and reporting practices in African healthcare organisations: a systematic review and meta-analysis
title_full_unstemmed Patient safety incident reporting systems and reporting practices in African healthcare organisations: a systematic review and meta-analysis
title_short Patient safety incident reporting systems and reporting practices in African healthcare organisations: a systematic review and meta-analysis
title_sort patient safety incident reporting systems and reporting practices in african healthcare organisations a systematic review and meta analysis
url https://bmjopenquality.bmj.com/content/14/1/e003202.full
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