Substandard care in Hawaiian hospitals and others across the nation remains an ongoing issue with which many medical patients are concerned. When hospital negligence causes injury or illness to a patient who has been entrusted to the hospital’s care, devastating results can occur. In worst cases, patients have died because of medical error or failure to adhere to patient safety protocol and guidelines.
Approximately 30 hospitals in another state are facing possible Medicare payment cuts under the Affordable Care Act for a reported increase in patient injuries and infections. More than half of those facilities named in the recent report were also penalized for similar negligence issues in 2014. It is said that a majority of the complications and injuries were avoidable.
Reportedly, more than 700 hospitals across the nation have recently incurred similar penalties. One patient advocate said that she believes penalties need to be even more severe in order to inspire appropriate changes in behavior in negligent hospitals. In addition, a surgeon from Johns Hopkins in Maryland said that many health care incentives are inappropriately aligned, making patient complications profitable for hospitals.
Among patient complications listed in the penalty reports are sepsis, broken hips, infections from urinary catheters and surgical incisions, and wounds that have re-opened. The most common complication in some hospitals is apparently errors involving medications. Medical patients in Hawaii will certainly want to research the infection rates reported for hospitals in their areas. Those who have experienced the adverse effects of hospital negligence who wish to have a legal discussion on the matter can do so by consulting with a personal injury attorney.
Source: myajc.com, “Georgia hospitals face penalties for high infection rates”, Andy Miller, Jordan Rau, Dec. 11, 2015