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Article: Alaska hospitals refine patient safety methods: national standards set guidelines for quality health care.
- Article from:
- Alaska Business Monthly
- Article date:
- October 1, 2005
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2005 Alaska Business Publishing Company, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Many newspaper and magazine headlines reflect Americans' growing concern with the complex U.S. health care system. The second annual Health Grades Patient Safety in American Hospitals Study finds that 1.18 million patient safety incidents occurred among Medicare hospitalizations in the years 2001, 2002 and 2003, with the cost to Medicare approaching $3 billion annually.
Health Grades Inc. also found infection within the hospital a notable problem, with patients getting infections such as antibiotic-resistant bacteria, staphylococcus and streptococcus infections. An estimated 22 million Americans report they or their family members have been victims of a medical ...