Elopement is defined by the VA National Center for Patient Safety (NCPS) as when a patient knows they are not allowed to leave but yet chooses to do so consciously. Finding out that a patient has “gone missing” is a terrifying experience for both clinicians and patients’ families.
Furthermore, patients who elope frequently have decreased cognitive abilities as a result of dementia, brief delirium, or sporadic changes in mental status brought on by medicine, illness, or traumatic injury. Patients who elope are frequently at risk for serious harm. Additionally, there are numerous instances where patients who have eloped resulted in death, regardless of the degree of capacity or intent—both of which can be challenging to ascertain.
What you will learn:
- Identification strategies for patients at high risk of elopement
- Legal implications of patient elopement
- Effective strategies to prevent patient elopement
- Responding effectively in the event of patient elopement
Details
Course length: 45 minutes. CME: 0.75
Languages: American English
Key features: Audio narration, learning activity, and post-assessment.
American Medical Compliance is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing education to physicians. Our Continuing Medical Education (CME) program is committed to enhancing the knowledge, skills, and professional performance of healthcare providers to improve healthcare outcomes. Through high-quality educational activities, we aim to address the identified educational gaps to support the continuous professional development of our medical community. American Medical Compliance designates this activity for a maximum of 0.75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits. Physicians should only claim this credit for their complete participation in this activity.
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Eloping versus Leaving Against Medical Advice
Departing against medical advice is not the same as eloping or wandering. The patient, having been informed of the hazards associated with leaving the facility before their treatment is complete, is the one who decides whether or not to do so.
Moreover, fully competent patients may legally be released from care before it is complete. In these situations, the doctor should warn the patient of the dangers of leaving. If the patient decides to leave, they need to sign a document stating that they are aware of the dangers. In most organizations, this conversation is recorded in the patient’s medical file, and they also need to admit that they are deviating from medical guidance.
When admitted to the hospital, patients who are capable of making decisions regarding their care should be provided with policies outlining their rights and obligations, including the requirement to consult with medical officials before leaving a treatment area.
When Should an Incident be Reported?
The Joint Commission says that any elopement of a patient from an around-the-clock care setting is classified as a reported sentinel event. This especially includes when this unauthorized departure results in a temporally related death (suicide, accidental death, homicide) or major permanent loss of function.
Regardless of the patient’s intention to depart or mental competence, this reporting requirement reflects harm to the patient. The National Quality Forum has designated 27 significant adverse events. Among its list of patient protection events is death or serious damage related to disappearance for more than 4 hours.
The course further highlights how to prevent incidents of elopement and how to respond to these incidents. To learn more and implement these practices in your healthcare facility today, click the button below.
