Never Events
Adverse Events in Hospitals
In November 2010, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General did a report on Adverse Events in Hospitals - National Incidence Among Medicare Beneficiaries. Some of the findings included:
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An estimated 13.5 percent of hospitalized Medicare beneficiaries experienced adverse events during their hospital stays
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An additional 13.5 percent of Medicare beneficiaries experienced events during their hospital stays that resulted in temporary harm.
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Physician reviewers determined that 44 percent of adverse and temporary harm events were clearly or likely preventable.
What is A Never Event?
A "Never Event"* is a clearly identifiable and measurable, serious, and usually preventable medical error or event. "Never Events" fall into a variety of categories and consists of medical errors such as bedsores, wrong-site surgery and medication errors. If you suspect you or a loved one are victims of medical malpractice, negligence or nursing home abuse, please contact us today to speak to an attorney. Our goal is to make sure that your patient rights are protected and that medical professionals and facilities are held accountable for their actions.
The term "Never Event" was first introduced in 2001 by Ken Kizer, MD, former CEO of the National Quality Forum (NQF), in reference to particularly shocking medical errors that should never occur. Over time, the list has been expanded and grouped into six categorical events: surgical, product or device, patient protection, care management, environmental, and criminal. Source:.... Read more...
Memorial Bed Sore Cases-February 2010
Memorial Hospital faces six lawsuits for related medical negligence "Never Events" February 23, 2010 Six families are in the process of filing suit against Memorial Hospital for neglect and negligence that allowed patients to contract decubitus ulcers (bedsores) that led to complications ranging from disfigurement to death. The United States Department of Health and Human Services classifies bedsores as a "Never Event." According to the National Quality Forum, "Never Events" are errors in medical care that are clearly identifiable, preventable and serious in their consequences for patients and that indicate a real problem in the safety and credibility of a health care facility. Bedsores are caused by unrelieved pressure to the skin that cuts off blood circulation to the affected area. Parts of the body where bedsores most commonly develop when a patient is not moved, turned, kept dry and clean or given proper nutrition while confined to a hospital bed, are the sacrum, coccyx, heels, elbows and ankles. Preventing bedsores is a standard of care universally known by and applied to all medical care facilities in the United States. Although bedsores have been commonly associated with nursing home neglect, studies show that the problem is increasingly being seen in hospitals. A study conducted by the Agency.... Read more...
