The Institute of Medicine has estimated that over 98,000 Americans die in hospitals every year from potentially preventable medical errors. Additional studies bring that number to over 195,000 per year, equivalent to 390 Jumbo Jets full of people. (If 390 Jumbo Jets full of people crashed per year would you fly or allow your loved ones to fly? Why then would you allow yourself or your loved ones to possibly become one of those "Medical Error" statistics when it may have been prevented with the Emergency Medical Traveler™ )
The IOM also estimates that these errors cost society $17 billion to $29 billion per year. These costs include disability and health care cost, lost income, lost household production and the personal costs of care. They do not include the costs, prorated on a state-by-state basis, to the amount that physicians pay in medical malpractice premiums in those states.
Medical Errors occur 1,200,000 times per year.
•Medical Errors kill 98,000 – 195,000 Americans every year.
One out of every 200 people admitted to a hospital died because of a hospital mistake.
•Physicians have operated on the wrong body part or the wrong patient over 108 times in the last two years.
•Medical Errors is the 8th leading cause of death in the United States, higher than automobile accidents (43,458), breast cancer (42,297) and AIDS(16,516).
•The range of preventable deaths and costs resulting from medical errors are prorated based on each states share of overall U.S population in 2000. Population statistics for 2000 from Census Bureau.
•Preventable death’s and costs data from , To Err Is Human: Building a Safer Health System, Institute of Medicine, 2000.
•Statistical Compilation of Annual Statement Information for Property/Casualty Insurance Companies in 2000, National Association of Insurance Commissioners.
UPDATE: Recent studies show Medical Errors have moved from the 8th leading cause of death in the United States to the 3rd leading cause of death killing as many as 284,000 Americans per year!!!
When EMS is called to an accident, what do they know about an accident victim?
• *Is the Patient conscious to give the EMT important information?
• *If in shock will the Patient remember every little pill they currently take?
• *Does the Patient speak English or the Emergency Medical Technician speak their language?
• *What Prescriptions are they taking?
• *What are they Allergic to?
• *What is the Patients past medical history?
• *Who is the next of kin to be contacted?
• *Does the victim have special instructions they need to share with the EMS?
• *If transported to a Hospital Emergency Room will they know the necessary information? How much time is lost filling out another form?
*Even if you are taking no medications and are allergic to nothing how will they know?
• *Do they know enough about you or your loved ones to save a life?
The Emergency Medical Traveler™ could allow you or your loved ones to use your Medical Records during an Emergency to Notify EMS of Life Saving Information.
•Using an Emergency Medical Traveler™ the participating Emergency Medical Technician may now stabilize the victim. Because his/her Medical Records are on the hearts drive the EMT better knows what treatment they can provide before reaching the ER to help save a life.
