Journal article
Risk factors for unexpected death in patients identified by a communication and resolution program
Frontiers in health services, v 5, 1712574
21 Nov 2025
Abstract
Many patients experience unexpected harm while receiving healthcare, with a lasting impact on patients, families, and caregivers. Communication and Resolution Programs are being adopted with increased frequency, as a more systematic, transparent, and equitable approach to these unexpected outcomes. The aim of this study was to identify whether demographic factors played a role in identifying patients with unexpected death, as managed in our CRP. This nested case-controlled compared 236 patients who experienced an unanticipated death with 2,360 controls who died expectedly over a 10-year period. Patients with unexpected death were more likely to be Black (AOR 2.18 95% CI 1.01–4.68), higher comorbidity burden (AOR 1.07 per additional co-morbidity, 95% OR 1.01–1.14), and a lower Relative Expected Mortality (AOR: 5.39; 95% CI: 1.76–16.55). Awareness of these demographic risk factors for unexpected mortality may lead to changes in how these patients are evaluated and treated. Communication and Resolution Programs can be used to identify the patients at the highest risk for unexpected outcomes.
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Details
- Title
- Risk factors for unexpected death in patients identified by a communication and resolution program
- Creators
- Peter LodatoNeal D. Goldstein - Drexel UniversityAlexandra M. MappAdebayo GbadeboStephen A. Pearlman - Thomas Jefferson University
- Publication Details
- Frontiers in health services, v 5, 1712574
- Publisher
- Frontiers
- Number of pages
- 9
- Grant note
- National Institute of General Medical Sciences: U54-GM104941 (Principal Investigator: Hicks)
The author(s) declare financial support was received for the research and/or publication of this article. Ms. Mapp and Mr. Gbadebo were supported by an Institutional Development Award (IDeA) from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under grant number U54-GM104941 (Principal Investigator: Hicks).
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Epidemiology and Biostatistics
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:001631036900001
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-105024495043
- Other Identifier
- 991022133563704721
InCites Highlights
Data related to this publication, from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool:
- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Health Care Sciences & Services
- Public, Environmental & Occupational Health