Healthcare: Preventable Medical Errors and Infections

Preventable medical mistakes and infections are responsible for about 200,000 deaths in the U.S. each year, according to an investigation by the Hearst media corporation.

See Deaths from avoidable medical error more than double in past decade, investigation shows by Katherine Harmon, August 10, 2009.

Every year approximately 200,000 Americans die from preventable medical errors and healthcare-associated infections as tools to fight these needless deaths go unused at many hospitals.

Experts estimate that a staggering 98,000 people die from preventable medical errors each year. More Americans die each month of preventable medical injuries than died in the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. In addition, a federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study concluded that 99,000 patients a year succumb to hospital-acquired infections. Almost all of those deaths, experts say, also are preventable.

See Within health care hides massive, avoidable death toll by Cathleen F. Crowley and Eric NaldeR, August 10, 2009.