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The National Open Disclosure Pilot: evaluation of a policy implementation initiative

journal contribution
posted on 2008-04-07, 00:00 authored by R A M Iedema, N A Mallock, R J Sorensen, Elizabeth ManiasElizabeth Manias, A G Tuckett, A F Williams, B E Perrott, S H Brownhill, D A Piper, S Hor, D G Hegney, H B Scheeres, C M Jorm
OBJECTIVE: To determine which aspects of open disclosure "work" for patients and health care staff, based on an evaluation of the National Open Disclosure Pilot. DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Qualitative analysis of semi-structured and open-ended interviews conducted between March and October 2007 with 131 clinical staff and 23 patients and family members who had participated in one or more open disclosure meetings. 21 of 40 pilot hospital sites, in New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria and Queensland, were included in the evaluation. Participating health care staff comprised 49 doctors, 20 nurses, and 62 managerial and support staff. In-depth qualitative data analysis involved mapping of discursive themes and subthemes across the interview transcripts. RESULTS: Interviewees broadly supported open disclosure; they expressed uncertainty about its deployment and consequences, and made detailed suggestions of ways to optimise the experience, including careful pre-planning, participation by senior medical staff, and attentiveness to consumers' experience of the adverse event. CONCLUSION: Despite some uncertainties, the national evaluation indicates strong support for open disclosure from both health care staff and consumers, as well as a need to resource this new practice.

History

Journal

Medical journal of Australia

Volume

188

Issue

7

Pagination

397 - 400

Publisher

Australasian Medical Publishing Company

Location

Sydney, N.S.W.

ISSN

0025-729X

eISSN

1326-5377

Language

eng

Publication classification

C1.1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal

Copyright notice

2008, Medical Journal of Australia