Details in a 58-page report on four mishaps at the Alberta Children’s Hospital will be released within 10 days, according to the province’s health minister.
The initial two-page summary of the 2009 incidents, delivered Tuesday in a joint press conference between the ACH and the investigating Health Quality Council of Alberta (HQCA), was short on significant detail, raising concern over hospital transparency.
Alberta Health Minister Gene Zwozdesky told Metro last night that careful consideration over patient privacy and evidentiary rules was needed to ensure release of the information wasn’t violating the acts governing the investigation.
“(The HQCA) assured me that their report, which I have not seen … has been written in such a fashion that, in their opinion, it does not violate either of the two acts, nor does it compromise the confidentiality of the people involved,” said Zwozdesky.
The report contains details surrounding four patient-care mistakes in the same nursing unit within 10 days at the hospital, including two non-lethal drug overdoses. A failure to follow through with previous recommendations and poor communication and improper equipment use were cited as the reasons behind the mishaps.
Alberta Health Services and the ACH interim vice-president said the entire report wasn’t being made available, citing privacy reasons to protect health-care staff and patient information.
Zwozdesky said it’s important for the province’s hospitals to be transparent when mistakes are made, preventing controversy or concern over hospitals not being accountable for errors made in their facilities.
“One of the things we need to assure Albertans is that trust in health care has always been there and will continue to be there, and we’re going to step up our efforts to be even more open, honest and transparent, within the parameters of the privacy act.”
