Researchers at John Hopkins University have found that within the past 20 years, there were close to 10,000 reported instances when a foreign object was left in a patient, the wrong surgery was performed, or the surgery was performed on the wrong patient or wrong part of the body. These surgeries cost the healthcare industry
Researchers at John Hopkins University have found that within the past 20 years, there were close to 10,000 reported instances when a foreign object was left in a patient, the wrong surgery was performed, or the surgery was performed on the wrong patient or wrong part of the body. These surgeries cost the healthcare industry an estimated $1.3 billion in malpractice payments. Dr. Martin Makary, the lead investigator of the study, says, “Healthcare is operated by good people, but they’re still human. The better able we are to remove errors from the system, the safer healthcare can be for everybody.” In general, the study highlights the need for more accurate record keeping.
ABC News, 12/20/2012
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