Med Mistakes Blamed in 200K Deaths a Year

(CBS)  An investigation by the Hearst Corporation says an estimated 200 thousand Americans will die this year from preventable medical errors and hospital infections.

Heart dubbed its report, "Dead by Mistake."

The report also says 20 states have no medical error reporting system in place, five have voluntary ones, and five more are developing reporting systems.

What's more, says the report, in the 20 states that make medical error reporting mandatory, hospitals report only a tiny percentage of their mistakes, standards vary wildly, and enforcement is often nonexistent.

Heart also blames special interests for blocking progress in this area, noting that, "Ten years ago, the highly-publicized federal report, 'To Err Is Human,' highlighted the alarming death toll from preventable medical injuries and called on the medical community to cut it in half in five years. Its authors and patient safety advocates believed that its release would spur a revolution in patient safety.

"But Hearst's 'Dead By Mistake' reveals that the federal government and most states have made little or no progress in improving patient safety through accountability mechanisms or other measures. According to the Hearst investigation, special interests worked to ensure that the key recommendations in the report -- most notably a mandatory national reporting system for medical errors -- were never implemented."

On "The Early Show" Monday, CBS News Medical Correspondent Dr. Jennifer Ashton described some of the most common medical miscues and offered advice to help keep you from becoming a victim of such an error, observing that, "This kills more people each year than car accidents":

Wrong-side/wrong part of body surgery: This why surgeons should PERSONALLY sign or initial the skin of the patient over the area that's being operated on; patients should remind all surgical personnel about the side and site of the procedure.

Medication error:: Patients should ask what every single medication is that they're given while in the hospital and remind EVERYONE who approaches them with drugs of any allergies they have. Also be aware of dosage mistakes and sound-alike medications (such as Heparin and Hespan).

Look the surgeon in the eye before an operation: My personal rule: I accompany every single patient of mine into the operating room while they're still awake/non-sedated. Often, the surgeon comes in after the person is sedated, and then the possibilities exist of mistaken identity and/or side and procedure mistakes.

In general, Ashton says, it's extremely important to improve patient/doctor communication.

Some of the things thought to be responsible for medical errors include:

• Poor documentation
• Illegible handwriting
• Sleep deprivation
• Patients not communicating with their doctors
• Improper nurse-to-patient ratios

[housedocus]

Mistakes can also result from miscommunication between doctors and patients outside the hosptital, in the office as example, or on the phone. Email is much more reliable, as it lets either side review the information before its sent, and if there is any question, there is written record of what you said or advised to do. Need to use a HIPAA compliant service however, such as housedoc.us, as routine email is not secure. But its more convenient and less expensive than the phone.

[tomadams99]

bull hockey...this is a promoted article by the obamaites in the white house. Amazing the timing of the story. This outfit must think the Americans as dumb as boards.

[Herbal Ed]

Wow ... you are so smart and we are so dumb. In fact, you know stuff without any evidence what so ever ... just your psychic powers.

[newsuezq]

http://www.supportingsaferhealthcare.com/2009/08/two-nurses-fired-and-charged-with-a-felony-over-a-report-to-the-texas-medical-board.html


Two nurses were FIRED and PROSECUTED with a FELONY in the state of Texas because they reported their concerns about a physician to the state medical board. They advocated for their patients' safety and this was the thanks they received. Sad. As long as hospital staff are stifled by this punitive culture, don't expect things to get any better.

[gangesdak]

AMA is the most powerful labor union in the country. They do not want their name turnished. So, they do not report the mistakes of doctors. And the population keeps showering praise on the doctors. Most doctors do not know much. They take the credit for what scientists have discovered- and then they bungle! Left lung or right! Left from my direction or from the patient's direction! There was supposed to be a sticker on the side to be operated. Oh well, it must be the left from my side. Operation done.