Preventable Deaths Still Source of Concern
The Washington Post recently reported that new hospital safeguards are not effectively eliminating preventable deaths. Despite a renewed focus on patient safety, there has been little evidence of widespread improvement in the last decade.
A report on hospitalized Medicare patients released last month found that one in seven patients experienced an adverse event such as excessive bleeding, a hospital-acquired infection, or aspiration pneumonia. These events have led to about 180,000 deaths a year.
The Washington Post compared medical errors to car accidents, saying that the problem demands a massive redesign and individual behavioral changes. Although roads and hospitals are inherently dangerous, certain measures can be taken to reduce the risk of harm. Just as a dangerous intersection can be redesigned, the system of keeping electronic medical records can be changed. And just as drivers should be careful not to drink and drive, doctors and nurses should be careful to avoid missing simple hygiene steps, such as washing their hands.
In areas of patient safety where there has been intense, focused activity, some improvements have been made. Many states now require hospitals to publicly report adverse events such as hospital-acquired infections, and the rate of staph infections has declined by about 10 percent a year. Still, progress is slow and preventable medical errors are still far too common.