Medical and Surgical Errors Targeted by New Federal Program

4/18/2011
Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton
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Medical and Surgical Errors Targeted by New Federal Program

Reducing medical and surgical errors ranging from transfusing patients with the wrong type of blood to allowing bedsores to develop on patients with restricted mobility is the goal of a $1 billion private-public partnership just launched as part of the health care reforms called for in the 2010 Affordable Care Act. Medicare patients who pay out of pocket for their medical treatments will be the first group of patients to see any positive outcomes from efforts to limit foreign objects retained after surgery, air embolisms, blood incompatibilities, stage III and IV pressure ulcers (i.e., bedsores), falls and trauma, vascular catheter-associated infections, catheter-associated urinary tract infections and manifestations of poor glycemic control (e.g., sudden onset diabetes) to as near to zero as possible.

Speaking with the Chicago Tribune, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Director Dr. Don Berwick admitted the goal of reducing preventable medical and surgical mistakes by 40 percent over three years to fewer than 1 per 1,000 patients was ambitious, but also one that was necessary to meet. "Those are big goals," he said. "But the results for patients and families will be dramatic -- millions of people suffering less, tens of thousands of deaths averted, and anguish and worry decreased beyond measure."

Currently, CMS data collected through the agency's Hospital Compare website show that Sentara Norfolk General and Sentara Virginia Beach General have rates of so-called "never events" and the other highly preventable errors targeted in the improvement initiative that are three times too high. No hospital in Hampton Roads committed zero medical mistakes, noted the Virginian-Pilot. Across the United States, nearly 100,000 patients die or suffer serious injuries or illnesses each year as a result of negligence by doctors, surgeons and nurses.

Steps local in-patient health care facilities are taking to prevent infections and bedsores are closely monitoring catheter use and ensuring that bedridden patients are turned or moved at least once a day.

My law partners and I represents dozens of victims doctors' errors and surgeons' mistakes each year. While we recognize that practically no health care professionals intentionally injure or kill patients, we have frequently called on everyone involved in keeping people healthy to identify and improve personal and systemic practices that can lead to patient harm. Even taking a simple and obvious steps of using checklists and equipment counts while doing operations can save many lives.

EJL

Category: Medical Malpractice/Doctor Mistakes

About the Editors: Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton is a Virginia injury law firm whose attorneys focus on personal injury and accident law and have extensive experience handling medical malpractice and doctor mistake cases. Please take a few moments to review our medical malpractice case results. We have offices in Virginia Beach and Hampton, VA, but we're ready to come to you anywhere in Virginia, including Norfolk, Portsmouth, Chesapeake, Newport News and Suffolk, VA, if you've been seriously hurt by the carelessness of a doctor, surgeon, nurse or pharmacist.

Rick Shapiro and James Lewis have been recognized as among the Best Lawyers in America since 2008. Also, Rick and Jim have been named Virginia Super Lawyers for Personal Injury Law since 2010. Fewer than 5 percent of lawyers are chosen for this professional honor.

Members of our VA personal injury law firm have also been selected by the National Million Dollar Advocates Forum since 2009. In addition, we were the first injury law firm in Virginia to join Primerus, a select group of highly ethical and respected law firms. Our VA medical malpractice firm has the highest rating of AV from Martindale-Hubbell, a national lawyer ranking organization, which means we have a reputation for preeminent legal skill.

We offer free special reports on the Top 10 Tips from a Medical Malpractice Insider and the top five surgical errors you must know about.

While not every injury case meets our criteria, we offer free initial confidential injury case consultation, so call us toll free at (800) 752-0042. If you cannot get through due to high call volume, please leave a voicemail so we can return your call.

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