As medical malpractice attorneys, we take our job very seriously to protect patient safety. Every case we take, every settlement and verdict we obtain, is to take one step closer to protecting members in our Phoenix community from medical negligence. The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that is tasked with protecting international public health.
On September 17, 2019, the WHO is holding its first-ever World Patient Safety Day. Their global campaign is intended to “create awareness of patient safety and urge people to show their commitment to making healthcare safer.” According to their data, this campaign is needed due to the following, very troubling facts:
- Adverse events due to unsafe care is likely one of the 10 leading causes of death and disability in the world.
- In high-income countries (like the United States), estimates show that 1 out of every 10 patients is injured while receiving hospital care. Of these injuries, approximately 50% are preventable
- 134 million adverse events occur each year in hospitals, resulting in 2.6 million deaths each year.
- Throughout the world, as many as 4 in 10 patients are injured in primary and outpatient health care. Of those injuries, approximately 80% are preventable
- 15% of hospital expenses are directly caused by treating patient safety failures
There is no question that medical malpractice incidents are on the rise. The only ways to combat this epidemic is to raise awareness on the issue and to hold the hospitals and doctors accountable for their errors. While many people may not agree with medical malpractice lawsuits, they are the only check and balance we have on this very dangerous system. Without lawsuits, hospitals and healthcare systems would run amok, and the number of wrongful deaths and catastrophic injuries would be even higher.