Disclosure as a Tool for Communication Errors in Healthcare

Abstract

Introduction: Patient safety is currently the central focus of quality management, and patient care has evolved based on experiences, research and advances in the areas of education and healthcare. Among the countless tools that seek excellence in patient care and safety, Disclosure is the term that refers to the disclosure, revelation or sharing of information related to errors or adverse events with life-threatening consequences. Aim: To understand the perceptions and experiences of healthcare professionals working in Brazilian hospitals in relation to the use of Disclosure.  Methods: This is a descriptive study with a qualitative approach. The participants were professionals who work in the Patient Safety Centers of general hospitals in Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil. Information was collected through semi-structured interviews. Results: The participation rate in the research was 80%, totaling twelve professionals. The ideas that converged were extracted from the interviews and observations, indicating a categorical analysis approach to identify patterns and trends in the participants' responses, from which five categories could be constructed, namely: (Mis)knowledge, Disclosure, Quality and Litigation, Professional Alignment, Work Process. Conclusions: By revisiting the proposed objective, it was possible to understand the professionals' perceptions about Disclosure in light of the five categories mentioned in the results, mainly regarding the lack of knowledge on the subject and the work process still under construction. Regarding experiences, a procedural gap was observed between hospitals that implement Disclosure and those that do not, and the prevalence of hospitals with health accreditation seals is driving the increasing increase in compliance with these requirements, mainly through the teaching and research.