Death of a patient by suicide is a sentinel event. This report examined one incident and identified care deficiencies associated with lack of mental health referrals and pain management follow-up. In addition, post-event process gaps occurred, impacting learning and resolution such as a delay in the inquiry launch, peer review, and clinical review of the incident. Claims that the facility purposely sought to hide information that the suicide happened were unsubstantiated.

Patient suicide is a sentinel event. This report examines a suicide incident that identified problems with risk assessment and identification, family engagement, and medication management in the context of mental health provision when supporting patients in psychological distress.

Patient suicide is a reoccurring sentinel event that is a challenge for the veteran’s health care community. This report shares the results of 36 unplanned inspections at United States Veterans Affairs facilities. While the inspections found general guidance compliance to be in place, weaknesses in required patient follow-up, staff training and outreach activities were flagged as areas in need of targeted improvement to enhance patient safety.

Discontinuities in mental health care are a patient safety concern. This report analyzes how documentation gaps, medication reconciliation problems, and poor care coordination contributed to the suicide of a patient who presented at an emergency room, was screened there, and referred to a clinic for further care that was not completed.

Systemic weaknesses challenge safe care in Veterans Affairs health systems facilities. This report analyzed a patient suicide at one medical center and determined contributors to the failure. This report shares recommendations to address deficiencies including improved communication across the care continuum and reliably acting on root cause analysis results.

Hospitalized patient suicide is a sentinel event. This report describes an investigation into a patient suicide incident in the Veterans Affairs health system that found numerous conditions that contributed to the event, such as nonoperational security cameras, ineffective rounding policy, and lack of leadership knowledge of safety practices in mental health units. Recommendations for improvement include staff education, standardization of rounding, and robust oversight of frontline practice.