Japanese patients’ preferences regarding disclosure of patient safety incidents: A survey study

Background Incident disclosure has proved its cultural sensitivity. To meet patient needs, this study aims to investigate Japanese preferences regarding incident disclosure. Methods An online panel questionnaire survey was conducted in Japan, and 840 valid responses were collected. A total of 191 (23%) respondents or their family members had incident experience. The respondents were asked to indicate their preferences regarding disclosure practice, specifically for incidents entailing moderate and severe harm. The chi-squared test was applied to examine preference differences. Results Mostly similar preferences were identified among Japanese respondents, regardless of their incident experience, age, and sex. For instance, they wished to be disclosed through face-to-face communication (92% in moderate and 92% in severe harm incidents), immediately after detection (63%; 65%), at the bedside, or in a consultation room (50%; 46%). The incident was likely to be disclosed by the healthcare provider most responsible/directly involved in the patient's care at the time of the incident (48%; 45%), accompanied by the team/department leader (50%; 56%) and patient safety manager (50%; 59%). If the incident entailed severe harm, top management members were also expected to be involved (45%); all details about the incident were expected to be informed (57%). Conclusions The findings reveal that Japanese patient preferences regarding incident disclosure are partly shared with Western countries and partly with other Asian countries. The unique Japanese preference for disclosure places is also identified. Recommendations for incident disclosure are then suggested and we believe this could be the first step toward supporting disclosure in Japanese healthcare organizations.