Kentucky

In the midst of the health reform and health insurance changes debate, I find the following investigatory story to be very disturbing. 

Even before the changes are made to increase the availability of insurance and reduce the costs, the medical profession already kills with negligence 98,000 annually!

With tort reformists already wanting to put a cap on the amount of the recoveries and/or take away those injured or killed by medical mistakes to have a jury decide their cases, how do they explain mistakes that kill?

One proposal is to place the decision on negligence and damages into the hands of medical experts seems absurd in light of the fact these medical experts and their health systems kill, not a few, nearly a hundred thousand yearly.

How many more will pay the price for the health care profession's hubris?

Responsibility will eventually evaporate in the absence of accountability and the drive for dollars.

Here's the story:

Experts estimate that a staggering 98,000 people die from preventable medical errors each year. More Americans die each month of preventable medical injuries than died in the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Hospitals slow to adopt lifesaving practices A look at AHRQ's budget Timeline of events Terminology About the Medical Error Surveillance Tool Introduction Video Slideshow