Following up on its 2008 announcement that it would not provide reimbursement to hospitals for treatment of certain preventable medical errors, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has now released a study reporting the rates of ten Hospital Acquired Conditions (HAC). These ten categories of hospital acquired conditions, referred to “never events” because they are preventable and never should happen, are as follows:
1. Foreign object remained in body following surgery;
2. Air embolism or gas embolism;
3. Blood incompatibility as a result of transfusions;
4. Stage III and IV pressure ulcers and/or bed sores;
5. Falls and trauma;
6. Manifestations of poor glycemic control;
7. Catheter-associated urinary tract infection;
8. Vascular catheter-associated infection;
9. Surgical site infection following coronary artery bypass graft, bariatric surgery, or orthopedic procedures in the spine, neck, elbow, and shoulder; and
10. Deep vein thrombosis and/or pulmonary embolism.
The full CMS report can be accessed from the CMS website.
The problem with each of these ten injuries is that each injury is preventable with adequate and sufficient medical attention and care. Despite that, these “never events” occur with such alarming frequency that Medicaid and Medicare felt it necessary to highlight the frequency of these events, which explains why it will no longer offer reimbursement for the occurrence of these events.
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If you or a loved one have suffered from the inexcusable occurrence of any of these “never events” or hospital acquired conditions, it is important for you to protect your rights and contact an attorney experienced in handling medical malpractice, medical abuse, and medical neglect cases. MartinWren, P.C. attorney Kirk D. Becchi is experienced in handling complex medical neglect cases and offers free consultations for medical neglect matters. Kirk can be reached at 540-437-0001, or by email at [email protected].
Kirk Becchi, the author of this post, is an experienced trial attorney who represents clients throughout Virginia from the Harrionsburg office of MartinWren, P.C. Kirk practices Commercial Litigation, including Virginia Intellectual Property Litigation, and he practices as a Harrisonburg Truck Accident Lawyer, as a member of the Charlottesville Personal Injury Lawyers group, as a Virginia nursing home neglect attorney, and as a Harrisonburg Automobile Accident Lawyer.
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