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Identifying and preventing complications for patients in hospital

Bernice Redley and Helena Romaniuk
Med J Aust 2022; 216 (5): . || doi: 10.5694/mja2.51433
Published online: 21 March 2022

Older people and those who are frail or have chronic diseases are at particular risk of multiple complications

The 2021 World Health Organization (WHO) global safety goals1 include eliminating preventable hospital‐acquired complications occasioned by modifiable causes of harm.2 Despite efforts to achieve this aim, hospital patients still experience complications with alarming frequency.1,3 In Australia, one in four patients hospitalised for at least one night experience complications, about half of which are potentially preventable.3


  • 1 Centre for Quality and Patient Safety Research – Monash Health Partnership, Deakin University, Melbourne, VIC
  • 2 Deakin University, Geelong, VIC



Competing interests:

No relevant disclosures.

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