Facts &
Figures
Injuries in Hospitals Pose a Significant
Threat to Patients and a Substantial increase in
Health Care Charges
Medical injuries during hospitalization resulted in
longer hospital stays, higher charges, and a higher
number of deaths in 2000, according to a study from
the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The
study, "Excess Length of Stay, Charges, and
Mortality Attributable to Medical Injuries During
Hospitalization," is published in the October 8
Journal of the American Medical Association.
Researchers, led by AHRQ's Chunliu Zhan, M.D.,
Ph.D., found that the impact of medical injuries
varies substantially. Postoperative bloodstream
infections had the most serious consequences,
resulting in hospital stays of almost 11 days longer
than normal, added charges of $57,727, and an
increased risk of death after surgery of 21.9
percent. Based on this data, researchers estimate
that 3,000 Americans die each year from
postoperative bloodstream infections. The next most
serious event was postoperative re-opening of a
surgical incision, with 9.4 excess days, $40,323 in
added charges, and a 9.6 percent increase in the
risk of death. This equates to an estimated 405
deaths from reopening of surgical incisions
annually. Birth and obstetric trauma, in contrast,
resulted in little or no excess length of stay,
charges, or increase in the risk of death.
"This study gives us the first direct evidence that
medical injuries pose a real threat to the American
public and increase the costs of health care," said
AHRQ Director Carolyn M. Clancy, M.D. "The nation's
hospitals can use this information to enhance the
efforts they already are taking to reduce medical
errors and improve patient safety."
The study used AHRQ's Patient Safety Indicators and
Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project's Nationwide
Inpatient Sample data to identify medical injures in
7.45 million hospital discharges from 994 acute care
hospitals across 28 states in 2000. The study
provides, for the first time, specific estimates for
excess length of stay, charges, and the risk of
death for each of 18 of the 20 AHRQ Patient Safety
Indicators.
"The message here is that medical injuries can have
a devastating impact on the health care system,"
said Dr. Zhan. "We need more research to identify
why these injuries occur and find ways to prevent
them from happening."
Source: Press Release Date:
October 7, 2003
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Practice Area -
Hospital Related Injuries
Hospital-acquired infections are serious illnesses
that cause death in about 1% of cases. Rapid
diagnosis and identification of the responsible
microorganism is necessary, so treatment can be
started as soon as possible.
About 5-10% of patients admitted to hospitals in the
United States develop a nosocomial infection.
Hospital-acquired infections are usually related to
a procedure or treatment used to diagnose or treat
the patient's illness or injury. About 25% of these
infections can be prevented by healthcare workers
taking proper precautions when caring for patients.
Hospital-acquired infections can be caused by
bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites. These
microorganisms may already be present in the
patient's body or may come from the environment,
contaminated hospital equipment, healthcare workers,
or other patients. Depending on the causal agents
involved, an infection may start in any part of the
body. A localized infection is limited to a specific
part of the body and has local symptoms. For
example, if a surgical wound in the abdomen becomes
infected, the area of the wound becomes red, hot,
and painful. A generalized infection is one that
enters the bloodstream and causes general systemic
symptoms such as fever, chills, low blood pressure,
or mental confusion.
Hospital-acquired infections may develop from
surgical procedures, catheters placed in the urinary
tract or blood vessels, or from material from the
nose or mouth that is inhaled into the lungs. The
most common types of hospital-acquired infections
are urinary tract infections (UTIs), pneumonia, and
surgical wound infections.
Source: Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine, Published
December, 2002 by the Gale Group
If you or a family member has suffered a hospital
related injury you may need the help of a
Seattle-area hospital injury attorney. The
Davis Law
Group can help you. No matter in which facility you
received your injuries (Swedish Medical Center,
Group Health Co-operative, Virginia Mason Hospital,
Harbor View Medical Center, Children's Hospital &
Regional Medical Center), we have the skill and
expertise necessary to represent you.
Contact us for
a FREE, no obligation consultation.
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