Among 1,009 patients who underwent surgery in Massachusetts hospitals in 2018, 38% experienced an adverse event, 26% of which were potentially preventable, according to a study published Nov. 13 in BMJ.

To determine the frequency, severity and preventability of surgical complications, researchers from Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston examined a sample dataset of 64,121 adults admitted for surgery in 11 hospitals in Massachusetts. Nurses and doctors reviewed the records of 1,009 patients.

The researchers found that, among 593 adverse events, 476 were potentially or definitely preventable.

The most common adverse events were related to surgical procedures (49.3%), adverse drug events (26.6%), nosocomial infections (12.4%), patient care events (11 .2%) and blood transfusion reactions (0.5%).

Adverse events occurred most often in general care units, followed by operating rooms, intensive care units, and recovery rooms.

“While it is important to emphasize safety as the collective responsibility of all healthcare professionals, it is essential to recognize the expertise of those ultimately responsible for patient care, such as treating physicians,” the researchers concluded. “In modern health care systems, where organizational and administrative factors often determine the delivery of care, there is growing concern that physicians have limited participation in decision-making processes.

“By valuing the perspectives of front-line staff and promoting collaborative approaches to care delivery, we can move towards a system that prioritizes patient safety while promoting the well-being of healthcare professionals. health.