Four Common Hospital Mistakes That All Patients Should Know

When you are admitted into the hospital, you expect your health to improve; you certainly don't expect that you'll suffer harm from medical mistakes or errors. Unfortunately, it is estimated that as many as 440,000 Americans die every year due to a medical mistake made during their hospital stay.

According to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 700,000 patients in the U.S. developed serious infections while in the hospital in one single year. Of those infected, an estimated 75,000 died during their hospital stay. This is just one example of the negative health consequences patients regularly experience in our healthcare system.

A large percentage of the illnesses and injuries people suffer in hospitals are completely preventable. They occur because healthcare providers make mistakes or fail to take the proper steps to improve patient safety.

Common Mistakes and Medical Errors in Hospitals

Be on the lookout for the following four common errors that occur in hospitals across the U.S.

1. Deadly Infections. Did you know that more than 50 percent of the time a patient receives an antibiotic it isn't needed? This unsettling CDC finding is one of the reasons that "superbugs" have become so prevalent. Superbugs are bacteria that have become resistant to more than one type of antibiotic. Their resistance makes it much harder to treat infections and can lead to outbreaks within hospitals. One of the most common superbugs is known as C. diff, a type of infection which is linked to 250,000 cases each year. An estimated 14,000 people die every year from C. diff infections. Other common hospital acquired infections include: central line infections, catheter-associated urinary tract infections, and surgical site infections. The CDC says that if medical professionals followed the proper steps, many types of hospital-acquired infections could be reduced by 70 percent.
2. Administration of Incorrect Medicines. – Medication errors come in many forms, including situations in which the patient receives the wrong medication or the wrong dose or for the wrong duration. According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, one out every 20 hospitalized patients in the U.S. suffers harm from medication error.
3. Failing to Prevent Blood Clots. -- Blood clots are known as "the silent killer." They often occur when a patient spends a long time lying in bed, or when there is surgery to the lower extremities, both of which can cause the blood to become stagnant and form a Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT). Many DVTs can be prevented with the right medical practices. For example, a patient might need to receive clotting medication post-surgery; some patients need to use special stockings or compression devices on each leg to help prevent DVTs. Failing to take these precautions can be fatal—if a DVT forms and portions of it break off (emboli) and travel to the heart, lungs or brain, the medical mistake can quickly kill.
4. Preventable Falls. -- Falls might not seem like a terrible consequence of a medical mistake, but for many patients, especially the elderly, they can lead to several health complications. In fact, up to one million hospitalized patients in the U.S. fall each year. Recent reports from the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) suggest that at least 33 percent of these falls could have been prevented. Not only are falls painful, but they can extend hospital stays, increase the risk of internal bleeding or broken bones, and cause additional health issues for the patient.

Protect Yourself from Medical Errors

Knowing the most common types of medical mistakes and errors is the first step you can take to protect yourself or your loved ones during a hospital stay. However, it is important to note that if you or a loved one does experience a medical mistake or error during a hospital stay, then you have legal options available.

If you suspect that your injuries or illness occurred because of a medical professional’s errors, consider contacting a medical malpractice attorney to discuss your case.