Accreditation

Study shows 98,000 die due to medical mishaps

Accreditation Connection, May 30, 2005

The Journal of the American Medical Association released a study May 18 that said almost 100,000 Americans die each year from medical errors, reports the Salt Lake Tribune.

The report from Harvard University's School of Public Health says that falling out of bed, acquiring infection after surgery, or having an allergic reaction to a prescription drug occurs at hospitals across the country, causing complications and sometimes deaths.

It's not all bad news, though; some improvements were also noted. For example, fewer patients are dying from accidental overdoses of concentrated potassium chloride. The report also documented a national drop in post-operative infections. 

To read more about the study, click here.

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