Assessment of death preventable (adapted from Healey et al as cited in Owen et al)13
| Category | Guideline |
| Non-preventable | Injuries or problem non-survivable with optimal management |
| Evaluation and management are appropriate | |
| Suspect care does not affect classification of death but is treated as morbidity | |
| Potentially preventable | Injuries or problem severe but survivable |
| Evaluation and management are generally appropriate | |
| Errors in care directly or indirectly implicated in patient’s death | |
| Preventable | Injuries or problem normally survivable |
| Evaluation and management are suspect | |
| Errors directly or indirectly cause patient’s death |