cnn.com
Surgical Patient Safety Remains a Major Concern
A new study reveals that surgical patient safety issues persist despite decades of efforts. Over a third of surgical patients experience adverse events, with a significant portion being preventable errors.
English
United States
HealthHealthcareSafetyResearchHospitalsErrors
CnnBmjHarvard UniversityNational Academies Of SciencesAmerican Hospital Association
Helen HaskellLewis BlackmanDavid BatesKedar MateAntoine Duclos
- What are the key findings of the new study on patient safety in hospitals?
- A new study reveals that over one-third of surgical patients experience adverse events, with at least 20% stemming from medical errors. Despite decades of efforts, hospitals haven't significantly improved patient safety.
- What are the implications of the study's findings for hospitals and patients?
- While improvements like electronic medical records and surgical checklists have been implemented, the study shows that patient safety issues persist. Hospitals and doctors must continue working towards improvement, but patients can also take steps to lower their risk.
- What were the most common types of surgical complications identified in the study?
- The most common complications were surgery-related, followed by medication errors and healthcare-associated infections. Risks increased with patient age and the complexity of the procedure; heart and lung surgeries had the highest complication rates.
- What methodology did the researchers use to collect and analyze data for this study?
- The study, published in the BMJ, utilized electronic medical records from 11 Massachusetts hospitals in 2018. Researchers analyzed data from 1009 surgical patients, identifying adverse events and determining preventability.
- What are the limitations of the study, and how might these limitations affect the interpretation of the results?
- Experts highlight that the high rate of preventable errors is alarming and requires attention from the industry. The study's limitations include its focus on Massachusetts hospitals and the use of electronic medical records, which are susceptible to errors.