Results of a study by the US Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and Johns Hopkins University have revealed that medical complications claim more than 30,000 lives in the US each year. Such complications also mean that patients spend an extra 2.4 million days in hospitals and add $9.3 billion to medical bills. In terms of risk of death and expense, the most costly complications are patient infections and the re-opening of wounds. For example, post-operative infection, or sepsis, was found to extend hospital stays by 11 days on average and add an extra $58,000 to the patient’s bill. Meanwhile re-opened wounds meant that patients spent an extra days in hospital and $40,000 in extra charges.
SOURCE/REFERENCE: Reported by www.reutershealth.com on the 8th October 2003.
