Background:This study was conducted to explore the prevalence of medical error underreporting and associated barriers.Methods:This cross-sectional study was performed from September to December 2012. Five hospitals, affiliated with Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, in Hamedan, Iran were investigated. A self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. Participants consisted of physicians, nurses, midwives, residents, interns, and staffs of radiology and laboratory departments.Results:Overall, 50.26% of subjects had committed but not reported medical errors. The main reasons mentioned for underreporting were lack of effective medical error reporting system (60.0%), lack of proper reporting form (51.8%), lack of peer supporting a person who has committed an error (56.0%), and lack of personal attention to the importance of medical errors (62.9%). The rate of committing medical errors was higher in men (71.4%), age of 50–40 years (67.6%), less-experienced personnel (58.7%), educational level of MSc (87.5%), and staff of radiology department (88.9%).Conclusions:This study outlined the main barriers to reporting medical errors and associated factors that may be helpful for healthcare organizations in improving medical error reporting as an essential component for patient safety enhancement.

Due to the high value of human life, the occurrence of even one error that leads to death or complications is of great consequence and requires serious attention. Although significant efforts have been made to ensure patient safety, serious medical errors continue to exist. This study aimed to identify the factors associated with the recurrence of medical errors and strategies to prevent them through a scoping review. Data were gathered through a scoping review of PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Cochrane Library databases during August 2020. Articles related to factors influencing the recurrence of errors despite the available information, as well as articles related to measures taken worldwide to prevent them, were included in study. Overall, 32 articles were selected out of the 3422 primary papers. Two main categories of factors were identified as influential in error recurrence: human factors (fatigue, stress, inadequate knowledge) and environmental and organizational factors (ineffective management, distractions, poor teamwork). The six effective strategies for preventing error recurrence included the use of electronic systems, attention to human behaviors, proper workplace management, workplace culture, training, and teamwork.It was concluded that using a combination of methods related to health management, psychology, behavioral sciences and electronic systems can be effective in preventing the recurrence of errors.