HHS OIG: 1 in 7 Medicare Beneficiaries Harmed in Hospital

A new report by HHS’ Office of Inspector General found that “An estimated 13.5 percent of hospitalized Medicare beneficiaries experienced adverse events during their hospital stays.”

The OIG report went on to state that “This rate projects to an estimated 134,000 Medicare beneficiaries experiencing at least 1 adverse event in hospitals during the 1-month study period.”  The report explains that the “term ‘adverse event’ describes harm to a patient as a result of medical care, such as infection associated with use of a catheter.”

An issue that remains to be addressed is determining how many Medicare beneficiaries will be harmed by competitive bidding.

See Watchdog Watch article, 15,000 – 30,000 Annual Deaths Reflect Misplaced Federal Priorities

See attached HHS OIG report.