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More than 30 years ago, the Harvard Medical Practice Study (HMPS) documented a high incidence of medical errors in U.S. hospitals (N Engl J Med 1991; 324:370). Since then, much has changed in healthcare, including the advent of electronic health records and standardization of many safety protocols (e.g., surgical checklists, practices to prevent catheter-related bloodstream infections). But have these interventions made hospital stays safer?
Researchers performed a retrospective cohort study to assess the frequency, preventability, and severity of patient harm in a random sample of 2800 admissions from 11 Massachusetts hospitals during 2018. At least one adverse event (defined as unintended physical injury from medical care that required add…