Re: U.S. Leads Other Countries in Medical Errors

Sbharrisatsignix.netcom.com said:

TC said:

http://www.surgicenteronline.com/hotnews/5bh39405091724.html

Survey Reveals U.S. Leads Other Countries in Medical Errors
Posted on: 11/03/2005

A new international survey supported by The Commonwealth Fund finds
that one-third of U.S. patients with health problems reported
experiencing medical mistakes, medication errors, or inaccurate or
delayed lab results -- the highest rate of any of the six nations
surveyed. While sicker patients in all countries reported safety risks,
poor care coordination, and inadequate chronic care treatment, with no
country deemed best or worst overall, the United States stood out for
high error rates, inefficient coordination of care, and high
out-of-pocket costs resulting in forgone care.

COMMENT:

Getting patient surveys as to what are "error rates" may not exactly be
a good way to figure out error rates. How do you control for the fact
that people are apt to complain less about mistakes in a product or
service which appears "free"? Eh?

Of course, there are no free lunches. Just lunches you pay for in
other ways.

SBH

Getting the medical people to report errors isn't exactly a good way
either. if we relied on them to report their errors we would have a
zero error rate being reported.

Free or not, medical errors are serious breeches of faith for the
patients who want and need to trust their medical professional.

The US health system is the most expensive in the world, and that is
counting the so-called "free" systems. And the US is still not in the
top ten health care systems in the world. Some socialist systems are
head and shoulders above the US in terms of cost and effectiveness, and
especially in terms of access.

Regardless, is a 30%+ error rate acceptable in any health care system?
Is that something the medical people are proud of?

TC