New Report Highlights Preventable Nursing Home Injuries, Adverse Events
One-third of nursing home residents in the United States suffer harm because of a medical mistake, many of which are preventable.
According to the findings of a new government report, nearly one-quarter of all nursing home residents suffer an adverse event, and another 11% are injured, due to mistakes made by nursing home staff members, and most of these incidents are preventable. In a report published last month by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, researchers examined adverse events affecting Medicare beneficiaries in hospitals between 2008 and 2012, in which patients suffered injuries or adverse events due to improper medical care. This most recent review of skilled nursing facilities is just one component of that original study. There are many ways in which an elderly individual can suffer harm in a nursing home facility, including nursing home neglect and physical and psychological nursing home abuse. If you have lost a loved one to a fatal injury or illness you believe resulted from nursing home abuse, consult a knowledgeable nursing home neglect lawyer today to discuss your legal options.
Adverse Effects of Inadequate Nursing Home Care
Nursing home abuse, neglect, injuries and adverse events are national issues that can cause serious problems, especially for elderly individuals who are most vulnerable to harm caused by medical errors and medical mistakes. According to the researchers involved in this recent government report, 22% of Medicare beneficiaries included in the review suffered adverse events, and another 11% were harmed temporarily, due to nursing home mistakes, which represents one-third of all nursing home patients in skilled nursing facilities throughout the United States. Furthermore, researchers found that approximately 59% of these medical mistakes were certainly or most likely preventable, with many caused by avoidable problems like substandard treatment, failure or delay of necessary care, and inadequate resident monitoring.
Contact a Nursing Home Neglect Lawyer Today
Because many of the adverse events identified in the government report could have been prevented, the researchers are calling for an increased awareness of nursing home safety and nursing home neglect, in addition to improved hospital safety efforts geared towards reducing resident harm caused by medical care. “This reduction in events and improved safety for post-acute residents would require a coordinated response to include both providers and overseers,” the researchers wrote. Unfortunately, nursing home neglect continues to plague nursing home facilities throughout the country, affecting one to two million American seniors over the age of 65. If you believe a loved one has suffered injuries caused by elderly abuse or nursing home neglect, contact a reputable nursing home abuse attorney today for legal help.
[box type=”note” align=”aligncenter” ]Source: http://oig.hhs.gov/oei/reports/oei-06-11-00370.pdf[/box]