By Diane Anderson
According to a new study published in the Health Services Research journal, preventing medical errors would reduce not only loss of life, but also healthcare expenses by up to 30 percent.
William Encinosa, co-author of the study, together with his colleagues, tracked insurance claims for 5.6 million enrollees from 2001 to 2002. The team reached the conclusion that the consequences medical errors have persist for a long time after patient’s discharge.
U.S. researchers disclosed that the considerable difference in calculations for medical error costs can signify that interventions to raise patients’ safety, such as bringing more hospital staff, could be more profitable than previously considered.
As shown by a government report available since Monday, avoidable medical errors during or after surgical procedures result in an estimated 10% of surgery-related deaths. Such fatal mistakes may cost hospitals almost $1.5 billion every year.
Insurers had to pay an extra $28,218 (52 percent more) and an extra $19,480 (48 percent more) for patients who experienced acute respiratory failure or infections which appeared after surgery, in contrast with patients who didn’t undergo either medical error, researchers found.
Errors linked to nursing care, such as pressure ulcers and hip fractures, added $12,196 to the amount of money insurers had to pay.
“Many hospitals are struggling to survive financially," stated Encinosa, who is also a senior economist at the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. "The point of our paper is that the cost savings from reducing medical errors are much larger than previously thought," he added.
"Eliminating medical errors and their after effects must continue to be top priority for our health care system," said AHRQ Director Carolyn Clancy in a declaration.
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