Abstract
Medical errors are among the common issues in public health and represent a serious threat to patient safety. Medical errors can lead to adverse events such as increased mortality, morbidity and unnecessary medical expenses. All patients can be exposed to medical errors, which can happen in any section including medical laboratories. The majority of mistakes and errors are highly contributed by lack or insufficient understanding among patients, staff and workers in the medical laboratory, while other contributors can include the faulty equipment and tools used in the laboratory. The objective of this study was to assess and measure the knowledge and attitude of employees in laboratories in Taif Hospitals, focusing on reporting these errors and investigating any barriers that could limit their disclosure. A well-structured questionnaire was used to conduct a cross sectional study involving laboratory employees working in different Taif hospitals. Descriptive statistics was used to present the demographic data and present trends in data collected. The questionnaire was completed by 132 laboratory employees. The study showed that the majority of participants were well informed about reporting medical errors. The findings also showed that they displayed a positive attitude to report medical errors. Despite the reporting system not being confidential, as stated by the participants, it was said to be very effective. This study indicated that the respondents have demonstrated high knowledge in reporting medical errors. Having the knowledge and attitude should reduce under-reporting of medical errors. It also provides a platform for explaining existing barriers to incidents reporting.