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Medical complications lead to $9 billion in extra costs annually

Hospital Safety Connection, October 16, 2003

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A new federal report found that postoperative infections, surgical wounds accidentally opening, and other often-preventable complications lead to more than 32,000 United States hospital deaths and more than $9 billion in extra costs per year, the Associated Press reports.

Researchers from the Agency for Healthcare Research analyzed data on 18 complications sometimes caused by medical errors and found they contribute to 2.4 million extra days in the hospital each year.

The figures underestimate the problem, because many other complications occur that are not listed in hospital administrative data.

The report examined data from 994 hospitals nationwide in 2000. The Journal of the American Medical Association published the study in the October 8 issue.

The most serious complication was post-surgery sepsis, or bloodstream infections, which occurred in 2,592 patients. This resulted in 11 extra days of hospitalization and $57,727 in extra costs per patient, and a 22% higher risk of death. Improved practices such as better handwashing might help reduce the rates.

Surgical wound openings were the second-most serious complication, leading to nine extra days of hospitalization, $40,323 in extra costs, and a nearly 10% higher death rate.

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