New AHRQ Study Finds Surgical Errors Cost Almost $1.5 Billion Each Year

A new study by William E. Encinosa, Ph.D. and Fred J. Hellinger, Ph.D. of the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) reveals that potentially preventable medical errors that occur during or after surgery may cost employers as much as $1.5 billion each year.

Published in the July 28, 2008 issue of Health Services Research, the researchers found that insurers pay additional costs for surgery patients who experienced the following conditions associated with medical errors compared to patients who did not:

• acute respiratory failure - $28,218 (52% more)
• Post-operative infections - $19,480 (48% more)
• errors related to nursing care, such as pressure ulcers and hip fractures -$12,196 (33% more)
• metabolic problems, including kidney failure or uncontrolled blood sugar - $11,797 (32% more)
• blood clots or other vascular or pulmonary problems - $7,838 (25% more)
• wound opening - $1,426 (6% more)

The study is based on a nationwide sample of more than 161,000 patients age 18-64 in employer-based plans who underwent surgery between 2001 and 2002, and used AHRQ's Patient Safety Indicators to identify medical errors. 

The authors conclude that studies focusing only on medical errors incurred during the initial hospital stay may underestimate the financial impact of patient safety events by as much as 30%.