Predictable, preventable medical errors kill thousands yearly. Is it getting any better? (USA Today, 3 May 2023)

Summary

This article in USA Today looks at how the Covid-19 pandemic has caused setbacks in hospitals' patient safety progress. It looks at data from a report by the US non-profit health care watchdog organisation, Leapfrog, which show increases in hospital-acquired infections, including urinary tract and drug-resistant staph infections, as well as infections in central lines. These infections spiked during the pandemic and remain at a five-year high. The article also looks at the case study of St Bernard Hospital in Chicago, which was rated poorly by Leapfrog on handwashing, medication safety, falls prevention and infection prevention, but then made huge progress in improving safety. It describes the different approaches and interventions taken by St Bernard.