Government Study Finds Excessive Rehabilitation Hospital Errors

You Won’t Believe This New Study on Rehabilitation Hospitals

Posted on August 03, 2016 by Shapiro Law Group

A recent study carried out by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) discovered patients at rehabilitation facilities are more likely to be harmed by preventable medical errors. Unfortunately, many people hurt by rehabilitation hospital errors are vulnerable and in poor health.

Rehabilitation facilities used in the study were not associated with regular hospitals. These centers offered services to help patients recover from strokes, injuries or recent surgery. In other words, these are the places patients are sent to after being discharged from normal hospitals. The report suggests the risk of being harmed by medical mistakes does not subside even after being discharged.

According to the data collected by HHS, 29 percent of patients in rehabilitation hospitals suffered preventable medication errors, bedsores and infections. Some of the medical errors uncovered by the study show that a minority of patients suffered permanent disability or death from mistakes. The study claims 18 percent of patients sustained temporary harm from errors. Another 8 percent had their discharge dates extended, 2 percent needed life-saving intervention, 1 percent suffered permanent disability and 1 percent died.

Why Do Rehabilitation Hospital Errors Happen?

The mistakes listed in the study occurred due to substandard treatment and a failure to track the progress of patients. Almost half of the errors included in the study were due to medication mistakes. In addition, patients were improperly monitored.

Fortunately, HHS did offer suggestions to reduce rehabilitation hospital errors. According to HHS, rehabilitation hospitals should identify and define potential medical mistakes. In addition, rehabilitation hospitals should educate staff members on how to find and prevent these mistakes from occurring.

Normal hospitals have similar protocols in place for preventing mistakes. Rehabilitation facilities should meet the same standards.

Tags: HospitalSafety

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