Patient Safety & Ethics Flashcards

A physician in Abu Dhabi discovers a colleague is practising while impaired. What is the physician's professional and ethical obligation?

Answer: Report the concern to DOH or the facility's patient safety officer

Physicians have a professional duty to report impaired colleagues through appropriate channels (DOH or facility leadership) to protect patient safety — silence in such cases is itself an ethical violation.

Which Abu Dhabi-specific initiative promotes open disclosure of adverse events to patients and families?

Answer: DOH Open Disclosure Policy

The DOH Open Disclosure Policy requires healthcare professionals to communicate honestly with patients and families after an adverse event, including what happened, its impact, and steps being taken.

According to bioethical principles applied in UAE healthcare, which principle requires providing the best possible care with available resources?

Answer: Beneficence

Beneficence — the duty to act in the best interest of the patient and provide effective care — is the principle directly linked to delivering the best possible treatment.

What is the primary purpose of a Root Cause Analysis (RCA) following a sentinel event in an Abu Dhabi hospital?

Answer: To identify underlying system failures and prevent recurrence

RCA is a structured retrospective analysis used to identify contributing system and process failures after a sentinel event, with the goal of implementing corrective actions to prevent recurrence.

Under DOH standards, which patient identifier must always be used when administering medications in Abu Dhabi hospitals?

Answer: At least two patient identifiers (e.g., full name and date of birth or MRN)

DOH and JCI standards require verification of at least two unique patient identifiers (such as full name plus date of birth or medical record number) before administering any medication to prevent errors.

Which document must a patient sign to authorise a surrogate decision-maker in Abu Dhabi when the patient lacks decision-making capacity?

Answer: Power of Attorney for Healthcare or Advance Directive

A Healthcare Power of Attorney or Advance Directive designates a surrogate decision-maker and outlines the patient's wishes, and must be signed while the patient retains capacity.