Medical Errors
Medical errors are one of the nation's leading causes of death and injury. A recent report by the Institute of Medicine estimates that as many as 44,000 to 98,000 people die in U.S. hospitals each year as the result of medical errors. This means that more people die from medical errors than from motor vehicle accidents, breast cancer, or AIDS.
What are Medical Errors?
Medical errors happen when something that was planned as a part of medical care doesn't work out, or when the wrong plan was used in the first place. Medical errors can occur anywhere in the health care system:
» Hospitals
» Clinics
» Outpatient Surgery Centers
» Doctors' Offices
» Emergency Rooms
» Nursing Homes
» Pharmacies
» Patients' Homes
Errors can involve:
» Medicines
» Surgery
» Diagnosis
» Equipment
» Lab reports
» Tests
Errors can happen during even the most routine tasks such as when a hospital patient on a salt-free diet is given a high-salt meal.
Medical errors also happen when doctors and their patients have problems communicating. For example, a recent study supported by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) found that doctors often do not do enough to help their patients make informed decisions. Uninvolved and uninformed patients are less likely to understand or accept the doctor's choice of treatment.