Accreditation

Study shows wrong-site surgery occurs every other day at PA facilities

Accreditation Connection, July 2, 2007

The Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority announced June 26 that wrong-site surgeries occurred every other day between June 2004 and December 2006 in that state. This was found after the authority conducted a 30 month-long study in which it was found that 427 near-misses occurred, although 253 of those did not actually affect the patient, reported the Philadelphia Business Journal.

Wrong-site surgery is a problem throughout the nation. In 2004, The Joint Commission made wrong-site surgery a priority by adding it to the National Patient Safety Goals under the Universal Protocol heading.

This summer, the authority will conduct interviews with and visit volunteer organizations to analyze why wrong-site surgery occurs. It will then provide guidance and regulation based on those findings.

To read the full story, click here.

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