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First report on adverse events in hospitals released

Patient Safety Monitor Alert, January 27, 2005

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The Minnesota Department of Health released on January 19 a report from the state's 145 hospitals, revealing the number of medical mistakes and accidents that led to adverse events, according to the Duluth News Tribune.

The report, which is the first of its kind, showed that 20 people died and four were seriously disabled in 99 incidents between July 2003 through October 2004.

In 2003, the state legislature mandated the report, which publicizes information on hospital mistakes and accidents. The state is "doing more than ever before" to stop preventable errors, said Dianne Mandernach, commissioner of health in Minnesota, who hopes that this system becomes a national model.

"It's going to improve patient care because it allows us to learn from each other," said Hugh Renier, MD, vice president of medical affairs at St. Mary's Medical Center in Duluth.

According to the report, the most common problem was a foreign object, such as a needle or sponge, left inside a patient. Coming in second were problems related to care management, such as medication mistakes and newborn deaths.

State officials emphasized to consumers that the number of incidents varies with the size of the facilities, the number and types of surgeries, and differing interpretations of reporting requirements.

To read the Duluth News Tribune article, click here.

To view the Minnesota Department of Health report, click here.

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