Hospitalized patients can expect to experience at least one medication error a day, says the Institute of Medicine, which advises Congress on health policy. This statistic is outrageous!
While some mistakes are harmless or quickly corrected, others can be deadly. Forty-four thousand to 98,000 Americans a year die from medical errors. Hospitals around the country are taking steps to reduce medical mistakes. But with so much at stake, many experts say patients and their families also need to take a larger role in ensuring their safety in the hospital. Read the USA Today article here.
I thought we went to the hospital to get better!