How Many Die Each Year Due to Preventable Medical Mistakes?
A frighteningly high number of people die each year due to preventable medical errors. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) report on medical errors shows that between 44,000 and 98,000 hospitalized Americans die each year as a result of preventable medical errors. A summary of the IOM report can be found here http://www.iom.edu/Object.File/Master/4/117/ToErr-8pager.pdf Preventable medical errors exact a huge cost on society. The IOM estimates the costs of errors (including additional medical treatment, lost wages, and disability) to be between $17 billion and $29 billion per year in hospitals nationwide.
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