Think Virginia Hospital Errors Aren’t Common? Think Again

You would like to be able to go to the hospital without having to fear that you will become the victim of a serious hospital error.  You hope that your doctor and the nursing staff are taking measures to ensure your safety.  You believe that your chart is being read correctly and that the physician has followed certain steps to prevent medical errors.  Think again.

According to a report conducted by Milliman, a consulting group, hospital errors in the United States result in $19.5 billion in costs and 2,500 excess deaths.  Researchers reported that in 2008, 1.5 million injuries were related to medical errors.

This eye-opening report defined a medical error as a “preventable adverse outcome of medical care that is a result of improper medical management (a mistake of commission) rather than a progression of an illness due to lack of care (a mistake of omission).”
 
The types of medical errors are pretty extensive, but researchers were able to compile a “top 10” list, which accounted for 69 percent of the total medical errors.  This list includes:

1. Pressure ulcers
2. Post-op infections
3. Device complications
4. Post-laminectomy syndrome
5. Hemorrhages
6. Infections from an infusion, injection, transfusion or vaccination
7. Pneumothorax
8. Infections from a central venous catheter
9. Complications of an internal device, implant or graft
10. Ventral hernias

If this report has hit a little too close to home and you believe that you have suffered from a hospital error, you need to get more information.  Order a FREE copy of the must-read book, Why Most Medical Malpractice Victims Never Recover a Dime.  It is a book that every Virginia medical malpractice victim should read.