Quality reports find mixed bag in Minn., drop in postsurgical deaths

Medical mistakes increased in Minnesota hospitals in 2011, but the number of "adverse events" that led to serious patient harm or death fell, a new report says. In addition, nationwide, postsurgical deaths decreased despite the number of surgeries being up overall, Medscape reports. Michigan and Connecticut, however, are struggling with patient quality issues.

(St. Paul, Minn.) Pioneer Press: Minnesota Medical Mistakes Increase, But Harm To Patients At Four-Year Low
Minnesota hospitals have more work to do on patient safety, as a new report shows the number of adverse events reported by medical and surgical centers last year inched up to an all-time high. Hospitals and surgery centers last year reported 316 serious adverse events, from patient falls to medication errors, according to a report being released today by the Minnesota Department of Health. In particular, hospitals had more trouble with patients getting the wrong procedure or suffering from pressure ulcers, the report says. But health department officials said the report includes encouraging news, too: Patient harm from adverse events fell to its lowest level in four years (Snowbeck, 1/19).

Minnesota Public Radio: Hospital Mistakes Causing Serious Injury Or Death Lowest Since 2007
The overall number of reportable "adverse events" was up slightly in 2011 from the previous year, but the number of incidents that led to serious injury or death dropped from 107 in 2010 to 89 in 2011, [Minnesota Department of Health] officials said. Adverse events include incidents such as surgery performed in the wrong place, foreign objects left in a patient's body during surgery, bedsores and falls (Dunbar, 1/19).

Medscape: U.S. Deaths Resulting From Inpatient Surgery Decline
The number of surgical procedures performed in the United States increased between 1996 and 2006, whereas inpatient postsurgical deaths within 30 days of admission dropped significantly, according to a national, population-level analysis published in the February issue of Surgery. ... Mortality decreased after 9 of 14 high-risk cardiovascular and cancer procedures (Kelly, 1/18).

Detroit Free Press: Michigan Fails To Report Discipline Of 220 Poor-Performing Doctors, Group Says
A national consumer group today released a letter to Michigan regulators questioning whether the state has disciplined 220 physicians whose hospitals took actions against them for bad performance or misconduct. Michigan is one of 13 states that failed to report any actions against doctors to the National Practitioner Data Bank, said Public Citizen's Health Research Group in a letter to the state today that was also released to the media. The data bank is a confidential information clearinghouse created by Congress to alert federal and state regulators about actions taken by hospitals against doctors, dentists and some other providers (Anstett, 1/18).

The Connecticut Mirror: Citing Psychiatric Patient Safety Concerns, State Disciplines Waterbury Hospital
State regulators have disciplined Waterbury Hospital after unannounced visits found multiple violations of care standards, including the continued use of psychiatric patient beds with side rails in the days after a patient used one to attempt suicide by hanging. The patient ultimately died. In agreeing to a consent order with the state Department of Public Health, the hospital did not admit wrongdoing or fault (Levin Becker, 1/18).