Background: Medical errors are considered inevitable events in healthcare systems and represent a major challenge in global health, particularly in developing countries. This study aimed to investigate the types of medical errors and their associated factors in Kermanshah Province, western Iran, in 2020.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using data from all patients referred to public and private healthcare centers with complaints related to clinical or medical errors. Complaints were filed with the Kermanshah Medical System Organization in 2020. Data were collected using a checklist and medical error registry software.Results: The operating room ward accounted for the highest proportion of reported errors (44.09%), followed by the delivery ward (20.43%) and the emergency ward (6.45%). Poisson regression analysis revealed that age group, type of service center, and the interaction between medical negligence and type of shift were significantly associated with the number of errors.Conclusion: Greater attention should be paid to hospital performance, and medical protocols should be revised to prevent errors and their associated financial and human consequences. Our findings suggest that healthcare organizations should prioritize conditions during night shifts, particularly when additional medical staff are involved. Implementing enhanced safety protocols or support systems during these periods may mitigate the elevated risk of errors and improve overall patient safety.
Heydari et al. (Wed,) studied this question.