DECIDE Just Culture: How clinical errors are understood and handled

Design of Tools to Transform the Conceptualization of Clinical Error Within and Outside Healthcare Centers, Social-health Centers, Hospitals and Healthcare Management

Not applicable Interventional Fundación para el Fomento de la Investigación Sanitaria y Biomédica de la Comunitat Valenciana · NCT06835517

Tests two ways to help health professionals and leaders accept honest mistakes and promote a Just Culture for safer care.

Quick facts

PhaseNot applicable
Study typeInterventional
Enrollment1255 (estimated)
Ages18 Years and up
SexAll
SponsorFundación para el Fomento de la Investigación Sanitaria y Biomédica de la Comunitat Valenciana Academic / other
Locations1 site (Alicante, Alicante)
Trial IDNCT06835517 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This mixed-methods project combines focus groups, surveys, consensus conferences and a three-arm randomized experiment to study how clinical errors are conceptualized across primary care, hospitals and socio-health centers. Phase 1 gathers qualitative input from frontline professionals, managers and social leaders to identify norms and influences shaping views on human fallibility in safety incidents. The randomized component compares a dissonance-based experiential intervention, a psychoeducational narrative intervention, and a control to see which changes attitudes and intended behaviors about honest mistakes. Outcomes will include changes in beliefs, subjective norms, and self-reported willingness to treat honest errors as learning opportunities within a Just Culture framework.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal participants are health professionals with more than five years' experience, healthcare managers, and social leaders who can commit to the study activities and consent to participate.

Not a fit: People with recent or ongoing litigation, those already active in patient safety committees, or those outside the targeted professional/leadership roles are unlikely to benefit from this intervention.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, the interventions could increase open reporting and learning from honest errors, leading to safer care for patients.

How similar studies have performed: Related educational and culture-change approaches have shown mixed but promising results in improving error reporting and attitudes, while the specific combination of dissonance-based simulations and narrative interventions is relatively novel.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Phase 1

* Inclusion criteria: Over 18 years of age, health professionals in primary care, hospitals or social-health centers with more than 5 years of experience. Healthcare managers. People who exercise social leadership in associations, media, blogs, etc. Subjects who voluntarily agree to participate after informed consent and who commit to a dedication of 5 hours.
* Exclusion criteria: Experience in patient safety groups/committees. Ongoing or serious adverse event claims or litigation with institutions.

Phase 2

* Inclusion criteria: Managers of health centers, hospitals or socio-health centers in Andalusia, Aragon, Valencia and Madrid, with a minimum of 7 years of experience, who agree to participate.
* Exclusion criteria:Litigation or claim in the last 15 years.

Phase 3

* Inclusion criteria: Same as in phase 1, who voluntarily agree to participate and commit to a dedication of 90 minutes.
* Exclusion criteria: Same as in phase 1. Who have participated in phase 1.

Phase 4

\- Inclusion criteria: Male/female balance, minimum 10 years of experience. Recruitment, among members of SEDISA, SEMERGEN, SEMFyC, FAECAP and other scientific societies.

Where this trial is running

Alicante, Alicante

Study contacts

How to participate

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Conditions Error DisclosureJust Cultureclinical errorhonest mistake
Last reviewed 2026-06-09 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.