Center for Disease Control estimates 100,000 deaths each year from infections

Hospitals initially said these infections were a cost of doing business. There were infections but they were to be expected. A study looked at hand washing compliance. 64% of docs in the hospital were not washing their hands! Nurses fared far better in compliance. Peter Provonost created a check list for infection control before surgery. Following the checklist works. Public reporting has also had a dramatic effect. In CT since we began public reporting, there has been a 60% decrease in the numbers of central line infections in the ICU.

A dramatic report in October 2010 documented that 13.5 percent of hospitalized Medicare patients experienced an adverse event.

1 in 3 hospitals harmed during hospital day. 7% are harmed permanently or die.

A Health Affairs study issued in November 2010 documented the rates of adverse events for Medicare patients.

63% of adverse events could have been avoided. The New England Journal of Medicine November 2010.

10% of deaths in this country are the result of health care harm.

Rosemary Gibson, formerly with the Robert Wood John Foundation and author of two books, said that the latest statistics grossly underestimate the scope of the problem She believes that 250,000 preventable deaths a year from health care harm. 100,000 from error, 100,000 infections, 19,000 unnecessary surgery, 15,000 radio over exposure and the remaining from medication interaction – chaotic prescribing.

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