March 02, 2009
The rate of medical errors in American hospitals remains high. About 1 million patient safety incidents occurred in approximately 40 million Medicare hospitalizations between 2004 and 2006, according to the Fifth Annual HealthGrades Patient Safety in American Hospitals Study. The Institute of Medicine reported in 2006 that medication errors alone injure at least 1.5 million Americans annually, costing the nation more than $3.5 billion a year.
The featured profiles describe innovative hospital programs designed to improve patient safety and reduce medical errors.
Last updated: March 02, 2009.
|
