Hmmmmmm...........
Just something to chew on in reference to conventional medicine.
Epidemiology of medical error.
Weingart, SN. et al.
BMJ 2000;320:774-777 ( 18 March ).
This article presents a review of current available information on the
incidence and nature of medical errors in U.S. hospitals. Medical errors
have been estimated to kill 48,000-98,000 Americans each year, and to injure
an additional 1 million. These data, however, are likely to significantly
underestimate the real extent of the problem, since they only refer to
hospital patients, and are not inclusive of errors occurring in nursing
homes and other health care settings. In addition, the methods used by
investigators to identify adverse medical events can significantly affect
the estimates of their prevalence. In a landmark study conducted by the
University of Harvard, for example, where the researchers used a stringent
definition of error, it was calculated that 3.7% of hospitalized patients
experienced an adverse event, which was caused by errors -and was therefore
preventable- in two-thirds of cases. In another study, where errors were
detected through a computerized model, the incidence of adverse drug
reactions in hospitalized patients was estimated to be 1.7%. On the other
hand, when Bates and colleagues determined the incidence of adverse drug
reactions by reviewing patients' medical charts and by conducting interviews
with physicians, they found that 6.5% of hospitalized patients developed an
adverse drug reaction, and another 5.5% developed a potential adverse drug
reaction; these events were found to be caused by errors in 28% of cases.
Furthermore, when trained observers who visited a general surgery unit where
asked to evaluate the rate of adverse events, they reported that almost 50%
of patients experienced an adverse event, which was serious in 18% of cases.
Little research has been conducted on the extent of medical error outside
hospital settings. One study revealed that drug-related complications occur
in 18% of outpatients. Another study calculated that every year
treatment-related complications result in 116 million additional physicians
visits, 76 million prescriptions, 17 million emergency department visits, 8
million hospital admissions, 3 million long-term care facility admissions,
and 200,000 additional deaths, for a cost of $76.6 billion. These data
indicate that the extent of injury caused by preventable errors occurring in
health care settings is enormous, and the real dimension of the problem is
largely unknown
"Nana Weedkiller" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:Chiropractor's license to be revoked
Secor man doesn't admit to allegations in injury of child
July 26, 2003
By MIKE RAMSEY
of Copley News Service
CHICAGO - A Woodford County chiropractor agreed Friday to have his state
license revoked but did not admit culpability in the health problems of a
small child he allegedly harmed through alternative medical treatments.
Michael T. Detweiler's "stipulation" to that effect followed a private
conference at the Chicago offices of the Illinois Department of
Professional
Quoted message said:Regulation, agency spokesman Tony Sanders said.
"He did not admit to any of our allegations, but he did agree to the
license
Quoted message said:revocation," Sanders said.
IDPR officials temporarily suspended Detweiler's license earlier this
month,
Quoted message said:pending disciplinary hearings.
They say the Secor resident, who has a clinic in Eureka, was "grossly
negligent" in prescribing alternative treatments, including toxic amounts
of
Quoted message said:Vitamin A, for a 10-month-old boy beginning in April 2001.
Detweiler allegedly failed to identify the harmful effects during two
dozen
Quoted message said:office visits over the next two years. The child, now age 3 and identified
only by his initials, "N.D.," has a variety of health problems, mental
"retardation" and will need a liver transplant because of damage to the
organ, officials say.
Revocation of Detweiler's license must be approved by the Illinois Medical
Disciplinary Board and acting DPR Director Patrick D. Hughes.
Detweiler could seek to regain his revoked license later but would face an
even tougher hearing process, Sanders said.
"I would never say never, but certainly it does put more of a burden on
him
Quoted message said:in trying to get back in the profession of chiropractic medicine," Sanders
said.
Detweiler and his attorneys could not be reached for comment.
He was not licensed to practice medicine beyond the chiropractic field,
but
Quoted message said:a former assistant and patients recently told the Journal Star that
Detweiler performed acupuncture and prescribed vitamins and other
supplements as part of a "holistic" approach to treatment. Patients
reportedly consulted him for colds and flu-like symptoms.
