Cultura

The Important Role Of Infection Control Systems In Reducing Medical Errors In Healthcare Facilities

VOLUME 21, 2024

The Role of Targeted Infra-popliteal Endovascular Angioplasty to Treat Diabetic Foot Ulcers Using the Angiosome Model: A Systematic Review

VOLUME 6, 2023

Mohammed Obaid Mohammed Alnefaie, Hanadi Ahmed Saeed Bahweni, Sabah Obedallah Abddallah Alsalmi, Alaa Saleh Husen Alzahrani, Sadyah marey alhwiati, Reem Suliman Aljehani

Abstract

Introduction: Medical errors have become an important issue of patient safety in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) as well as in other countries of the world. Although these errors are seen as personal failures, modern safety science recognizes the mistakes as the outcomes of the systemic failures. Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) systems, which are based on either a standardized clinical bundle, or electronic surveillance, are critical elements in the healthcare infrastructure. Since Saudi Arabia is experiencing a massive healthcare repositioning process according to Vision 2030, it is crucial to comprehend how these systems will specifically influence the process of mitigating clinical errors in enhancing the health outcomes of the country.

Study Objective: The goal of this systematic literature review is to assess and integrate the existing research on how infection prevention and control (IPC) systems affect the occurrence and reduction of medical errors in Saudi Arabian hospitals and healthcare facilities.

Methodology: A systematic search was carried out in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and the Saudi Digital Library on peer-reviewed articles published in 2010-2026. The inclusion of studies was based on the requirement to present empirical data on the IPC compliance and medical error rates (medication, diagnostic, or procedural) in KSA. The PRISMA guidelines resulted in the extraction of 20 central studies comprising cross-sectional audits, cohort studies, quality improvement reports, etc. Quality appraisal was conducted in terms of JBI (Joanna Briggs Institute) tools of critical appraisal.

Conclusion: Infection control systems are integrated, which is one of the pillars of reducing errors in Saudi Arabian hospitals. The shift of manual to digital surveillance and implementation of strict national accreditation has provided a more resilient healthcare setting. In a bid to minimize the medical errors further, the future efforts should be on maintaining the IPC compliance beyond the accreditation periods and use AI-driven predictive modeling to stop possible errors on-the-fly.

Keywords : Infection Control, Infection Prevention, Medical Errors, Patient Safety, Saudi Arabia..
Erin Saricilar
Lecture in accounting. University of Basrah, College of Administration and Economics, Department of Accounting.

Abstract

Atherosclerotic disease significantly impacts patients with type 2 diabetes, who often present with recalcitrant peripheral ulcers. The angiosome model of the foot presents an opportunity to perform direct angiosome-targeted endovascular interventions to maximise both wound healing and limb salvage. A systematic review was performed, with 17 studies included in the final review. Below-the-knee endovascular interventions present significant technical challenges, with technical success depending on the length of lesion being treated and the number of angiosomes that require treatment. Wound healing was significantly improved with direct angiosome-targeted angioplasty, as was limb salvage, with a significant increase in survival without major amputation. Indirect angioplasty, where the intervention is applied to collateral vessels to the angiosomes, yielded similar results to direct angiosome-targeted angioplasty. Applying the angiosome model of the foot in direct angiosome-targeted angioplasty improves outcomes for patients with recalcitrant diabetic foot ulcers in terms of primary wound healing, mean time for complete wound healing and major amputation-free survival.
Keywords : Diabetic foot ulcer, angiosome, angioplasty