What is the primary purpose of an incident report in healthcare?

• A. To discipline staff.
• B. To document and analyze adverse events for quality improvement.
• C. To document routine visits.
• D. To replace patient medical records.

Answer: (C)

The main purpose of an incident report is to document details of adverse events, near misses, or unsafe conditions so the care team can analyze what happened and why, with the goal of preventing recurrence. It captures what occurred, when and where it happened, who was involved, contributing factors, and the outcome, providing data for root-cause and trend analyses. This information drives quality improvement—leading to changes in workflows, communication, equipment, staffing, or policies to strengthen patient safety. Incident reports are typically confidential and used for learning, not for disciplining staff, and they do not replace the patient’s medical record or document routine care.