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Current Issues in Healthcare

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Current Issues in Health Care

University of Phoenix
Health Law and Ethics
HCS 545
Professor: Dr. Michael Grossman
February 14, 2015 Current Issues in Health Care
Medical errors persist despite modern technology. Although, this is not a new issue it remains in the forefront of the health care community. Health care is a decade or more behind many other high-risk industries in its attention to ensuring basic safety (Institute of Medicine, 1999). Medical errors have been in the spotlight since the 1990's when government studied the sudden increase in the number of hospital deaths. According to Lester and Tritter (2001) "Medical error is an actual or potentially serious lapse in the standard of care provided to a patient or harm caused to a patient through the performance of a health service or health care professional".
A study in the Journal of Health Care Finance from Wolters Kluwer finds medical errors in the U.S. may cost up to $1 trillion per year (Goedert, 2012). Medical errors can occur in many ways including but not limited to wrong site surgery, surgical errors, medication errors, adverse drug reactions, medical equipment failure, diagnostic error and communication errors. The Journal of Patient Safety estimates that the numbers of deaths in 2014 that are directly related to medical errors top 210,00 and may reach 440,00 (Allen, 2013). The statistics indicate that to ensure patient safety the reduction of medical errors must become a priority of healthcare systems nationwide.
Corporate Structure and Governance
Despite considerable efforts by various healthcare facilities, medical errors remain a significant concern and pose substantial personal risk as well as monetary burdens. Errors cost a loss of trust in the system by patients and decreases patient and provider satisfaction. Patients who experience an extended hospital

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