Mapping a Large Patient Safety Database to the 2005 Patient Safety Event Taxonomy

Objective: To evaluate the Patient Safety Event Taxonomy (PSET) using a large existing database with near-miss reports. Methods: Analysts from the Pennsylvania Patient Safety Reporting System (PA-PSRS) mapped 420 reports from PA-PSRS into PSET. Results: We evaluated 34 PSET classifications accepting values. For five classifications, data could be translated directly from PA-PSRS for at least 95 percent of reports. For 11 PSET classifications, PA-PSRS data fields were not available for at least 95 percent of reports. Data were predominately unavailable in PA-PSRS data fields for two classifications. For 16 PSET classifications, translation required analysts’ reviews of multiple PA-PSRS fields and free-text narratives. Useful data in seven PA-PSRS fields could not be transferred to PSET. Conclusion: Mapping an existing patient safety database to PSET would require analysts’ interpretation and/or considerable realignment of the existing database. With a large flow of near-miss reports, either effort would require considerable resources.