Editorial: Placing an emphasis on safety of patients

Friday, July 6, 2001 | 4 a.m.

Anationwide medical study in 1999 contained a shocking conclusion: The Institute of Medicine estimated that between 44,000 to 98,000 hospital patients die every year from medical mistakes. In an encouraging sign, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, which evaluates hospitals, has put in place new rules that require hospitals to take steps to prevent medical errors, including telling patients when they've been harmed.

As the Sun's Emily Richmond reported last week, University Medical Center has been working for a year now on patient safety improvements at the county-run hospital. It is essential that a greater emphasis be placed on patient safety, but it may be rough going. For instance, our society tends to punish -- not reward -- people for owning up to mistakes. But unless this culture is changed in the medical community -- so that errors are revealed and ways can be found to prevent them from happening again -- people will continue to die needlessly.