Medical Errors Still Plaguing Hospitals

The primary purpose of hospitals is to provide a safe environment where the sick and injured go to get well. However, medical errors in hospitals account for a staggering number of preventable deaths and the numbers don't seem to be improving. According to the sixth annual patient safety study conducted by HealthGrades, a healthcare assessment organization, preventable medical errors cost Medicare over $6.9 billion and caused more than 92,000 in-hospital deaths among Medicare beneficiaries between 2005 and 2007. Out of the approximately 38 million Medicare hospital admissions, more than 913,000 medical mistakes occurred. What's worse is of those mistakes, one in ten resulted in death. The good news, if there is any, is that Medicare patients had a 43 percent less likelihood of experiencing a medical error at award winning hospitals. Thus, it's pays to research your local hospitals before you become sick or injured. Visit http://www.healthgrades.com to research hospitals.