New Jersey Hospitals Among the Worst for Errors
Posted by
Ricky BagolieApril 05, 2006 12:51 AMEach year, more than 180,000 people die, at least in part, because of medical mistakes. When mistakes are made the effects can be devastating. Medical malpractice is an area of law that assists people who have been injured by the mistakes of health care providers, or the survivors of those who may have died as a result of the mistakes of health care providers.
Doctors, nurses and other health care providers spend a great deal of time learning how to treat a great variety of illnesses and physical maladies. As a group they are professionals dedicated to helping alleviate the ailments that can plague mankind. Unfortunately, health care providers can also make mistakes. When mistakes are made the effects can be devastating. Medical malpractice is an area of law that assists people who have been injured by the mistakes of health care providers, or the survivors of those who may have died as a result of the mistakes of health care providers.
Each year, more than 180,000 people die, at least in part, because of medical mistakes. In 1990, a study conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health estimated that each year, more than 3% of patients in New York State hospitals suffered some form of a medical mistake which resulted in serious injury.
According to a report in the Post-Standard:
New York ranks as one of the worst states in the nation for hospital patient safety, according to a study released today that found high rates of medical errors at hospitals here. New Jersey was the only state that fared worse in the study by HealthGrades, which analyzed the prevalence of patient safety incidents at every U.S. hospital.
The risk of experiencing one or more of 13 patient safety incidents, such as post-surgical infections, was nearly 24 percent higher in New York than in Minnesota, the top-ranked state, according to the study.
The study is based on an analysis of Medicare patients at nearly 5,000 hospitals nationwide from 2002 through 2004.
If the medical care in a hospital or nursing home fails to meet acceptable standards which results in harm to a patient, the facility may be liable for any resulting damages.