Impact of regular mortality and morbidity conferences on preventable death rates.

Abstract

Introduction: The role of mortality and morbidity conferences (M&MC) in surgical departments is to provide education and improve patient care. However, evidence in the literature that M&MCs reduce preventable deaths is sparse. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the impact of routine M&MC on the preventable death rate over four years. Methodology: This study used a quantitative research methodology. In this retrospective audit of the M&MC data, we collected all mortality data from the date the database started, July 2016, to December 2019, for the surgery department. The department adopted and adapted the criteria and definitions of preventability based on WHO guidelines for trauma quality improvement programs. We used the Pearson correlation statistic to evaluate the correlation between the time (years) since the start of routine M&MC and the preventable death rate. We secured ethical approval. Results: There were 4660 registered admissions from July 2016 to December 2019. Of these, 267 deaths were recorded, resulting in a crude mortality rate of 6%. Overall, the department considered 23% (61/267) of the deaths as preventable. A strong linear correlation (R2 = 0.982, p = 0.009) between the preventable death rate and time(years) since the commencement of routine M&MC was found. Trauma was the leading cause of preventable deaths (27.0%, 17/61). Conclusion: Our findings suggest that routine M&MCs have the desired effect of reducing preventable death rates. Further studies are required to investigate this observed effect.