Study of Patient Safety Yields Disturbing Results
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According to a large, multi-year study of patient safety practices, hospitals’ efforts are still flawed and falling short.
The study, conducted from 2002 to 2007 in 10 North Carolina Hospitals, found that not only was patient risk common, but also that the rate of harm did not significantly decrease during the five-year span of analysis.
Led by Christopher Landrigan, patient safety researcher at Children’s Hospital Boston and assistant professor at Harvard Medical School, the study examined records of 2,341 admitted patients and included both rural and urban medical centers of varying size.
As part of their review, Landrigan and his team of researchers developed a system that included a list of 54 “red flag” trigger items that indicated potential accidents of harmful errors. The list of red flags included drugs used to reverse an overdose, the presence of bedsores or a patient’s readmission to the hospital within 30 days.
The study found 588 instances, or 25.1 injuries per 100 admissions, of patient harm. The majority of problems were minor and treatable and included patients experiencing low blood sugar from an overdose of insulin or contracting urinary infections due to catheters.
Some of the more severe problems included:
- 2.9 percent of patients suffering permanent injuries such as post-operation brain damage from a stroke
- A little more than 8 percent of patients experiencing life-threatening cases, such as excessive bleeding during surgery
- 2.4 percent of severe problems such as bleeding and organ failure after surgery, causing or contributing to a patient’s death
- 162 errors in prescribing and distributing medication
Though this particular study was limited to just North Carolina, a state chosen because of its particular interest in patient safety, Landrigan believes that the overall results are a reflection of practices at healthcare institutions in other regions of the country.
According to Landrigan, implementing new computer systems and checklists, as well as being more open in reporting errors, are ways that hospitals can improve patient-safety efforts.
If you or a loved one have been a victim of patient harm or mistreatment, seek appropriate medical attention immediately and contact the Law Offices of Joe Bornstein today for a free and confidential consultation. You may be entitled to compensation. In over 36 years, we’ve helped more than 18,000 Mainers collect over $100 million in settlements and benefits.
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