As a registered nurse practicing for over 20 years, I had unfiltered and direct access to observe the quality of care provided by the doctors that I worked with. I saw the care they provided and the results they got. And, I learned that while most doctors do a good job, a minority were responsible for most of the medical malpractice and bad outcomes that we witnessed.
It was no surprise that my friends and family called me for recommendations before deciding on a doctor to treat their ailments.
The issue of patient safety finally came out of the shadows in 1999, when the Institute of Medicine released its landmark study “To Err is Human,” in which they reported that 44,000 to 98,000 people die in hospitals every year because of preventable medical mistakes. Unfortunately, I cannot report that there has been any reduction in preventable medical errors since then. In fact, according to ProPublica, recent studies estimate that at least 200,000 patients a year die in hospitals from complications and medical errors.
So it was with great interest that I read a recent article by ProPublica in which they published their analysis of five years of Medicare data to uncover the complication rates of surgeons for eight elective procedures, including knee and hip replacements, spinal fusions and prostate removals. They found that while most complication rates were low, ranging from 2 to 4 percent, the variation in complications among surgeons—even those from the most prestigious hospitals-was striking. For example, one surgeon at the renowned Johns Hopkins Hospital had one of the highest complication rates for prostate removal.
I applaud the increase in transparency for those of us who seek care.
Information is power. You can link to the article and search the database for complications of surgeons in your area at https://www.propublica.org/article/surgery-risks-patient-safety-surgeon-matters. I hope you find the article and the information on surgeons in your area useful as you decide to seek treatment. The public deserves to know which hospitals and doctors put them at risk of mistakes and complications so that they can be avoided. This recent analysis by ProPublica is a great start.
Harrell & Nowak
If you or a loved one has been the victim of medical malpractice due to surgery, please contact us today. Harrell & Nowak’s medical malpractice attorneys will fight for your rights. Do not hesitate to get the justice you deserve.