Lessons learned for reducing the negative impact of adverse events on patients, health professionals and healthcare organizations.

Purpose: To summarize the knowledge about the aftermath of adverse events (AEs) and develop a recommendation set to reduce their negative impact in patients, health professionals and organizations in contexts where there is no previous experiences and apology laws are not present.

Data Sources: Review studies published between 2000 and 2015, institutional websites and experts' opinions on patient safety.

Study Selection: Studies published and websites on open disclosure, and the second and third victims' phenomenon.

Interventions in health organisations to reduce the impact of adverse events in second and third victims.

Background: Adverse events (AE) are also the cause of suffering in health professionals involved. This study was designed to identify and analyse organization-level strategies adopted in both primary care and hospitals in Spain to address the impact of serious AE on second and third victims.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in healthcare organizations assessing: safety culture; health organization crisis management plans for serious AE; actions planned to ensure transparency in communication with patients (and relatives) who experience an AE; support for second victims; and protective measures to safeguard the institution's reputation (the third victim).

The aftermath of adverse events in Spanish primary care and hospital health professionals.

Background: Adverse events (AEs) cause harm in patients and disturbance for the professionals involved in the event (second victims). This study assessed the impact of AEs in primary care (PC) and hospitals in Spain on second victims.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted.

Prognostic role of circulating melanoma cells detected by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction for tyrosinase mRNA in patients with melanoma.

A need for factors predictive of prognosis is present in patients who are diagnosed with malignant melanoma. The detection of circulating melanoma cells by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction for tyrosinase mRNA is a possible negative prognostic factor. The aim of this study was to assess the prognostic value of reverse transcriptase-PCR for tyrosinase mRNA in peripheral blood samples.

[Enhanced quality in a hospital microbiology laboratory: from automation to clinical advice].

Background: Quality policies focussed on the patient and applied to a hospital microbiology laboratory have led us to investigate clinicians' needs when requesting test results. The aim of this study was to analyze these requirements and to implement a plan to improve attention to the clinicians, considered as direct customers, particularly in the process of providing results.

Methods: Phase 1: To determine clinicians' needs, we studied the calls made to the Bacteriology Unit.