New Sentinel Event Alert Focuses on Preventing Patient Suicide

The Joint Commission released a new Sentinel Event Alert last week, aimed at helping healthcare providers to better identify and treat patients at risk for suicide. Over 1,000 patient suicides were recorded in The Joint Commission Sentinel Event Database between 2010 and 2014.

According to SEA 56, the most common cause to the patient suicides during this time frame is linked to inadequate assessment, especially psychiatric assessment. The Joint Commission recommends that healthcare facilities create a standardized process of suicide ideation screening. This could be done by simply adding the question “Are you having suicidal thoughts or have you had suicidal thoughts in the past?” to the waiting room questionnaire. Ensure that the questionnaire is reviewed before the patient leaves the facility and if necessary, refer the patient for further screening.

Additionally, healthcare providers should check the patient’s background for potential suicide risk factors, including:

• Previous suicide attempts
• History of alcohol and drug abuse
• Mental or emotional disorders (e.g., depression or bipolar disorder)
• History of trauma or loss (e.g., abuse as a child, family history of suicide, economic hardship)
• Serious illness, physical or chronic pain or impairment
• Social isolation or a pattern of aggressive or antisocial behavior
• Recent discharge from inpatient psychiatric care (e.g., patients may be at higher risk during the first year after discharge)

This alert replaces previous SEA’s 46 and 7.

For more information on this Sentinel Event Alert, click here.