Abstract
The committee on Safety in Japan Society of Pain Clinicians sent a questionnaire on patient safety to all Board Certificated Training Facilities in Japan (307 facilities) in February 2009. One hundred ninety-seven facilities (64%) responded. The results were as follows. Incidents were experienced by 103 of 191 respondents (54%) in the previous year. Troubles with patients despite no adverse events were experienced by 65 of 192 respondents (34%) in the last 10 years, and half the respondents experienced violent or unreasonable behaviors of the patients. Although measures for patient safety were fully or almost taken in 61% of the facilities, adverse events, such as infection, pneumothorax, nerve injury, and respiratory arrest, occurred in 101 facilities (52%). Twenty percent of the respondents were faced with legal actions for the adverse events. Precise informed consent was the most predominant view for the prevention of troubles with patients and poor relationship with patients was the most probable factor for disputes. Previous surveys of safety in pain treatment revealed accidents and troubles associated mainly with nerve blocks. The present survey indicated frequent occurrences of adverse events in pain clinic practices. It is essential to create good relationships between medical staff and patients so as to facilitate effective treatwents.
