Living in a country that is known for its wealth, advanced technology, and some of the best healthcare in the free world, U.S. citizens do not typically worry that they may not survive a hospital stay. A new study offers some conflicting information that alerts hospital patients to an unknown risk. According to a study recently published in the Journal of Patient Safety, an estimate of more than 400,000 deaths are occurring every year from preventable mistakes in our hospitals.
A recent example of a preventable hospital error occurred in an Arizona hospital when a 55 year-old patient was short of breath and had chest pains. He promptly went to a heart hospital and was admitted where he was given oxygen and medications to ease his pain, but the treatment was not very effective. The overnight nurse failed to make a report of his condition, and as a result gravely reduced his chances of survival from 90% to 20%. The male patient ultimately died in emergency surgery caused by a rupture in his heart. An expert witness testified that his treatment would have been handled effectively had the negligent nurse appropriately reported his declined condition.
Study of Preventable Hospital Errors
The research study pulled information from other studies utilizing the Global Trigger Tool (GTT.) The GTT identifies and measures adverse patient eventsthat trigger possible harm or death in a healthcare facility. However, there are five adverse events that were found undocumented in patient files by the GTT. Errors of commission, omission, communication, context, and diagnostic errors are not detected by the GTT. These types of errors can occur during either hospital care or post-discharge.
Some common patient adverse events (PAEs) that are detected by the GTT include but are not limited to: adverse drug events, nerve or vessel injury, hospital acquired infection, post-operative respiratory distress, wound infection, and doctors not reporting mistakes. Data also shows that three times the amount of adverse events came from the patients themselves. Moreover, the Office of Inspector General found that 86% of harmful events were not reported by hospital staff because they either thought they were not reportable or they simply did not report events that commonly occurred. The reasons for such were unclear according to the study.
Cherry Hill Medical Malpractice Lawyer, David Cuneo, Fights to get Justice for Victims of Hospital Negligence in New Jersey
If you or a loved one have suffered an injury due to hospital negligence, Cherry Hill medical malpractice lawyer, David Cuneo has the experience to obtain the compensation you deserve for your injuries. Our Cherry Hill personal injury lawyers have experience helping victims of medical malpractice in New Jersey. To schedule a free case review, call us at 856-869-9066 or use our online contact form. Our offices are located in Collingswood, New Jersey and serve clients throughout South Jersey including those in Cherry Hill, Westmont andHaddonfield.