Errors In Ophthalmic Practice-What Does the Nigerian Patient Want To Know Or Be Told?

Onochie Ike Okoye

Department Of Ophthalmology , University Of Nigeria Teaching Hospital ,Ituku –Ozalla ,PMB 01129,Enugu,Nigeria

Purpose: To collect preliminary data on ophthalmic patients' preferences for medical error disclosure. This presentation explores the key aspects of information disclosure with respect to how, what, when, and why these patients wish to know about such medical errors.

Methods: A self- administered 20-item questionnaire was distributed among 100 willing consecutive patients attending the eye clinic of the University Of Nigeria Teaching Hospital(UNTH) in January 2010.Results were collated and frequency counts/percentages were generated .Test of association for statistical significance was done using the chi-square test. Data analysis was done with the EPI-info version 6 software.

Results: None of the patients had ever been told about a medical error by their attending ophthalmologist. Eighty-nine patients(89%)wished to be informed of medical errors, if they occur;78% wished to be told of any medical error in the eye theatre ,though with varying responses to the level of disclosure required .Forty-six patients would seek legal action for medical errors if not informed by their Ophthalmologist ,and if they learn of it through a different source.

Conclusions: There seems to be a great desire by patients to be told of medical errors in ophthalmic practice. There is a need to develop a socio-culturally appropriate and acceptable mechanism for promoting disclosure of medical errors by Nigerian ophthalmologists.