Advancing patient safety in Sri Lanka: Strengthening incident reporting systems through global experience
1 Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka.
2 Post Graduate Institute of Medicine, University of Colombo.
Review
International Journal of Science and Technology Research Archive, 2026, 11(01), 023–029.
Article DOI: 10.53771/ijstra.2026.11.1.0029
Publication history:
Received on 20 June 2026; revised on 26 July 2026; accepted on 29 July 2026
Abstract:
Incident reporting and learning systems are central to patient safety because they make hazards, adverse events and near misses visible and allow organisations to identify recurring system weaknesses. This review examined published literature and official guidance on incident reporting in South-East Asia and selected higher-performing health systems, with particular attention to lessons applicable to Sri Lanka. A thematic review was undertaken using the supplied literature matrix and official documents from the World Health Organization, the National Health Service in England and national safety bodies in Australia and other comparator countries. The analysis identified eight interrelated themes: a just and non-punitive culture; simple and accessible reporting; inclusion of near misses; structured classification and prioritisation; timely feedback; leadership and workforce capability; national aggregation and learning; and patient and family involvement. Evidence consistently shows that reporting volume alone is not a measure of safety. The value of a reporting system depends on whether reports are analysed, translated into proportionate action, communicated back to staff and monitored for sustained improvement. Sri Lanka should therefore strengthen its existing approach through a phased, nationally coordinated electronic system linked to local investigation, feedback, learning alerts and governance oversight. Implementation should begin with a limited minimum dataset, clear definitions, protection for reporters, staff training and measurable feedback standards. Pilot testing in selected hospitals should precede national scale-up.
Keywords:
Patient safety; Incident reporting; Adverse events; Near misses; Just culture; Organisational learning; Sri Lanka
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Copyright © 2026 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article. This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Liscense 4.0