Medical Errors Cost More

The U.S. government reported this week that preventable medical errors during or after surgery cause 10% of surgery-related deaths each year and may cost an additional $1.5 Billion each year.

The Director for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Carolyn Clancy, said "Eliminating medical errors and their after effects must continue to be the top priority for our health care system." Looking at records from 2001 and 2002 the agency reported that errors ranged from bedsores to infections and blood clots.

As if medical costs weren't high enough already!