Med Mal News

Dr. Samantha Collier, HealthGrades' vice president of medical affairs, was quoted on the groups Web site as stating, “The HealthGrades study shows that the IOM report may have underestimated the number of deaths due to medical errors, and, moreover, that there is little evidence that patient safety has improved in the last 5 years. The equivalent of 390 jumbo jets full of people are dying each year due to likely preventable, in-hospital medical errors, making this one of the leading killers in the U.S.” The results of the study can be found at http://www.healthgrades.com.

HHS Awards $15.5 Million to Expand, Strengthen Nursing Workforce

On July 22, Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson announced grants of almost $15.5 million to be made to 62 universities, colleges, nursing schools, medical centers and other health care institutions to expand the nation's supply of qualified nurses and promote diversity in the nursing profession. Most of the funds will support 38 grants under the Nurse Education, Practice and Retention Program, which is designed to increase enrollment in baccalaureate nursing programs, develop internship and residency programs and boost nurse retention rates.

The nationwide nursing shortage is blamed for causing many medical care errors due to overworked and overextended nursing staff. The recent implementation in California of legislation that requires lower nurse-to-patient ratios than were previously allowed is said to have decreased nursing errors in that state, but at a cost to other aspects of public health: Hospitals are reportedly turning patients away because they don't have enough nursing staff to cover extra patients.

Hospital Deaths Due to Preventable Errors Higher Than Thought

HealthGrades, the health care quality ratings company headquartered in Lakewood, CO, released on July 27 the results of a study that claims an average of 195,000 people in the U.S. died due to potentially preventable, in-hospital medical errors in each of the years 2000, 2001 and 2002. The study looked at 37 million patient records.

The HealthGrades study found nearly double the number of deaths from medical errors found by the 1999 Institute of Medicine's report, “To Err Is Human,” with an associated cost of more than $6 billion per year. While the IOM study extrapolated national findings based on data from three states, HealthGrades looked at 3 years of Medicare data in all 50 states and Washington, DC. Excluding obstetrics patients, HealthGrades asserts this Medicare population represents approximately 45% of all U.S. hospital admissions from 2000 to 2002.

Dr. Samantha Collier, HealthGrades' vice president of medical affairs, was quoted on the groups Web site as stating, “The HealthGrades study shows that the IOM report may have underestimated the number of deaths due to medical errors, and, moreover, that there is little evidence that patient safety has improved in the last 5 years. The equivalent of 390 jumbo jets full of people are dying each year due to likely preventable, in-hospital medical errors, making this one of the leading killers in the U.S.” The results of the study can be found at http://www.healthgrades.com.

HHS Awards $15.5 Million to Expand, Strengthen Nursing Workforce

On July 22, Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson announced grants of almost $15.5 million to be made to 62 universities, colleges, nursing schools, medical centers and other health care institutions to expand the nation's supply of qualified nurses and promote diversity in the nursing profession. Most of the funds will support 38 grants under the Nurse Education, Practice and Retention Program, which is designed to increase enrollment in baccalaureate nursing programs, develop internship and residency programs and boost nurse retention rates.

The nationwide nursing shortage is blamed for causing many medical care errors due to overworked and overextended nursing staff. The recent implementation in California of legislation that requires lower nurse-to-patient ratios than were previously allowed is said to have decreased nursing errors in that state, but at a cost to other aspects of public health: Hospitals are reportedly turning patients away because they don't have enough nursing staff to cover extra patients.