Number of Medical Errors At Indiana Hospitals Increases
The report showed 105 cases of severe bedsores, 24 cases of foreign objects being left in the body of a surgery patient and 23 cases of a surgery being performed on the wrong body part.
Clarian Health which runs Methodist Hospital, Indiana University Hospital and Riley Hospital For Children, all in Indianapolis reported the most errors of any hospital in the state with 10, according to the report.
Among other Indianapolis-area hospitals, St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis reported five errors, Wishard Hospital in Indianapolis reported three errors and St. Vincent Heart Center in Carmel each reported three errors and St. Vincent Carmel Hospital and Community North Hospital in Indianapolis each reported one error.
This is the second-annual report of the Medical Error Reporting System (MERS), which was called for by Gov. Mitch Daniels.
The 2006 report revealed 77 serious medical errors, although health officials had said they expected the number of errors reported to rise over the next few years as hospitals learn more about the program.
“MERS is a valuable tool to help improve patient safety. The data we get from this report will help reduce the frequency of medical errors by promoting awareness of patient safety, revealing causes of medical errors and identifying statewide trends,” said State Health Commissioner Dr. Judy Monroe in a press release on August 25, 2008.
The reporting system requires hospitals, surgery centers, abortion clinics and birthing centers to report any errors in categories including surgical, products or devices, patient protection, care management, environmental and criminal.
The Department of Health began collecting the information in 2005 following an executive order by Daniels, and in 2006 approved permanent regulations requiring hospitals to report the mistakes.