While the absolute numbers are still small, they're moving in a questionable direction. The number of serious medical mistakes taking place in Indiana went up 24 percent last year, from 85 in 2006 to 105 in 2007, according to a new report from the state's Department of Health. The most common mistakes--accounting for 27 percent of errors---were cases where patients developed severe bed sores. Surgeries where sponges or other objects were left inside of patients ranked second, with 24 cases, and wrong-body-part surgeries were third with 23 occurrences, up from 11 such errors found in 2006.
About 18 percent, or 51 of the 291 health facilities reporting, disclosed at least one error for 2007. Hospitals accounted for 101 of the errors, and ambulatory surgery centers reported four.
To learn more about this report:
- read this Chicago Tribune piece
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