The research says the rate of harm for hospital patients increased along with the rates of staff absenteeism, overtime, and use of agency staff.
A new report shows that the rate of harm to hospital patients in the Canadian health-care system is growing, as 1 in 17 patients was harmed during their hospital stay in 2022–23, research by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) says.
CIHI’s Hospital Harm report, released on Oct. 19, looks at harm caused to patients “that could be potentially prevented by implementing known evidence-informed practices.”
Research shows that the rate of harm for hospital patients increased along with the rates of staff absenteeism, overtime, and use of agency staff. The rate rose to 6 percent in 2021–22 and 2022–23 from 5.9 percent in 2020–21 after having remained stable between 5.3 percent and 5.4 percent since 2014.