Corrective Actions Taxonomy for Healthcare Incidents (CATHI): Insights From Real-world Data on Hospital-reported Incidents.

Objectives: This study aimed to develop a taxonomy for classifying corrective actions following health care incidents in a Portuguese tertiary hospital.

Methods: The study utilized a multimethods design, combining qualitative and quantitative analyses of real-world data. Thematic analysis was performed, drawing on inductive and deductive approaches. The latter was informed by the PRISMA Medical Classification/Action Matrix and the COM-B theory.

Results: A total of 4644 incidents were reported between January 1, 2021 and December 31, 2022. Each incident report is accompanied by an unstructured free-text conclusion section, whose content was manually coded using NVivo QRS. A total of 910 corrective actions were found. The process of classifying these actions, in addition to the deductive approach, served as the foundation for the development of the proposed taxonomy-the Corrective Actions Taxonomy for Healthcare Incidents (CATHI). CATHI included themes such as technology, medical devices, equipment and infrastructure, procedures, information and communication, and training, among others. The taxonomy was structured into 3 levels to allow for a more detailed classification of corrective actions. A glossary was developed to improve usability, including definitions and examples derived from real-world data.

Conclusions: CATHI provides a standardized approach to action implementation, allowing for prioritization of improvement efforts. This study has practical implications for enhancing patient safety and quality of care. Future research should validate this taxonomy in diverse health care settings.