Easy Guide to Clinical Incident Management - Step 5. Classification
All incidents are classified in the Incident Information Management System (IIMS). Classification allows comparison of incidents and the development of strategies to prevent, detect and manage incidents.
In IIMS, there are three levels of classification:
- Minimum dataset completed by the notifier.
- Basic classification which includes the category of staff, and contributory and causative factors for each incident type. The questions that display depend on the incident category and type.
- Advanced classification which consists of a more detailed set of questions. Answers to these questions are mandatory for SAC 1 incidents.
Note that advanced classification information in IIMS is not subject to statutory privilege as is other information from a privileged RCA and is therefore available to the NSW Department of Health as a public document.
The purpose of classification...
... is to understand the causative and contributory factors involved in the incident in more detail.