Citation

Muller A, Vögelin HP, Münch U. Praxis 1998; 87(10): 341-343.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1998, Hans Huber)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

9545841

Abstract

The frequency of adverse effects caused by doctors may serve as a quality control. We therefore assessed the number of adverse effects leading to a hospital admission and occurring during a six-month period in the medical department of a district hospital. We compared these figures with the number of admissions caused by substance-abuse by the patient himself.
RESULTS: At admission to hospital 35 patients (6.4%) suffered from adverse effects. In 89% of these, the adverse effect was the leading factor to admit the patient; in the remaining 4 patients (11%) the adverse effect was detected by routine-screening upon admission. Further 8.6% developed adverse effects in the hospital which in 12.5% had consequences upon course and duration of the hospitalization. Self-afflicted hospital-admissions (substance-abuse, suicide-attempts) were found in 13%. Iatrogenic adverse effects brought 3.5% of the patients to the hospital.
CONCLUSIONS: Adverse effects caused by diagnostic and therapeutic activities of doctors considerably contribute to hospital-admissions and course of hospital-stay, but even more often the patient himself is responsible by his self-damaging behavior.

Language: de

Keywords

Adult; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Humans; Iatrogenic Disease; Incidence; Male; Patient Admission; Prospective Studies; Self-Injurious Behavior; Substance-Related Disorders; Suicide, Attempted; Switzerland