University of Missouri

Business Policy Manual

Reporting Accidents and Incidents

BPM-709 Incidents - Medical Patients (Not Therapeutic & Diagnostic)

Revised September 19, 1989

Definition of an Incident - Medical Patients (Not Therapeutic and Diagnostic)

Any happening which is not consistent with the routine or commonly practiced care of a particular patient, including an accident or situation which may result in an accident.

NOTE: Any damage to the personal property of a patient is excluded in this section and should be reported under BP 707 Students & General Public.

Does not include a happening during a therapeutic or diagnostic procedure.

REFERENCE: BP 708 Incidents - Medical Patients (Therapeutic & Diagnostic) details the reporting requirements for a happening during a therapeutic or diagnostic procedure.

Written Reports Required

All incidents involving outpatients and inpatients which occur in a University medical facility must be reported in writing.

Reporting Responsibilities

Incident reports must be:

1. Initiated and signed by the physician who saw the patient after the incident or, if no physician saw the patient, by the employee who witnessed or was first advised of the incident.
2. Submitted to the campus business office within 48 hours after the incident occurs.
3. Forwarded to the UM Director of Risk & Insurance Management within 72 hours after the incident.

Forms to be Used

All reports must be made on a Patient Incident Report Form (UMUW Form 192).

All Reports Confidential

All reports must be kept confidential and may be used only by the medical facility and the UM Director, Risk & Insurance Management. They are not to be made part of the patient's medical record.

Summonses and Petitions

Any summons or petition served on an employee regarding a claim must be forwarded immediately to the General Counsel's Office and to the UM Director of Risk & Insurance Management in accordance with provisions of BP 712 Summonses and Petitions.

NOTE: Forwarding a summons and petition does not satisfy the requirement for submitting a report form as outlined above.

Written Requests Required

Except for requests made by the General Counsel and the UM Director of Risk & Insurance Management, all requests for records and information must be made in writing to the physician or the physician's department.

Review by Medical Facility Administrator Required

All requests or subpoenas to appear for depositions and all subpoenas to furnish records or for any other data or purpose concerning a claimant, must be referred to the General Counsel for review and advice as to the action to be taken.

Correspondence

All correspondence from a claimant, a claimant's attorney or insurance company regarding an alleged accident or incident; questions on the medical and/or professional bill sent to the claimant; or which requests information regarding University insurance, must be forwarded immediately to the UM Director of Risk & Insurance Management before any response is made.

NOTE: The UM Director of Risk & Insurance Management will review the correspondence with the General Counsel. One of these offices will advise the recipient of the correspondence concerning the reply to be made.

Restrictions on Discussing Claims

Physicians must not discuss the alleged incident with the claimant, the claimant's attorney or insurance company or anyone purporting to represent the claimant except at a meeting approved by the UM Director of Risk & Insurance Management and General Counsel.

Insurance

REFERENCE: BP 803 Commercial Coverages, and BP 804 Self-Insured Coverages
provides information about insurance coverages.