Hospital Medication Errors Kill Thousands Every Year
The Department of Health and Human Services’ Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has named hospital medication errors on its list of “never events.”
In fact, it is estimated that over 1 million patients are harmed each year as a result of medication errors. Some estimates suggest error rates at 1 for every 3 patient days. The end result is that over 5% of patients will be harmed by medication errors while in the hospital.
This is hardly the outcome that a patient and family expect. It is far from acceptable and most would agree that it is outrageous. More needs to be done to prevent these errors.
It is obviously very uncomfortable second guessing your medical providers constantly. However, to get over this reluctance, it may be worth knowing that as many as 400,000 patients die each year from preventable medical errors in hospitals. So a little or a lot of second guessing is not only called for but perhaps critical to your survival of a hospital stay.
The Albuquerque personal injury attorneys at Collins & Collins, P.C. have significant experience with medical malpractice claims. We can be reached at (505) 242-5958.
If you or a loved one has been harmed or killed as a result a medication error in a hospital, it is important to seek legal guidance right away due to the unique rules and deadlines related to medical malpractice claims. The Albuquerque personal injury attorneys at Collins & Collins, P.C. have extensive experience with medical malpractice claims. We can be reached at (505) 242-5958.