Physician Reporting of Clinically Significant Events Via a Computerized Patient Sign-Out System

Although electronic reporting systems for near misses and adverse events have been implemented nationwide (and recently at New York Medical College at Westchester Medical Center), physician participation in such systems has typically been limited. Previous efforts to improve such rates have met with some success, but have been costly and time consuming. To improve event reporting rates, in the fall of 2009 New York Medical College at Westchester Medical Center incorporated a physician reporting module into the computer software that house officers were already using for their daily sign-out routine. House officers were asked to report a set of 13 predefined 'clinically significant events' such as cardiopulmonary arrests and unexpected transfers to the intensive care unit. They have since been encouraged to also make entries in the MIDAS events reporting system.