Medical Errors Greater In Kids

Potentially harmful medicaion errors occur 3 times more often among kids that are hospitalized than adults,according to a new study published in the 4/25/1 issue of the Journal of the AMA.

In the 6 week study researhers found an error rate of 5.7%. Of those, 26 were considered adverse drug events,meaning they harmed the child. In 115 cases, the mistakes were caught before the medication was given or theerror di not cause a bad reaction; of those, physician reviewers said 18 were potentially fatal or life-threatening.

The overall error rate was similar to those found in previous studies of adult hspitals, but the number ofpotentially harmful errors was three times greater among children. Most of the errors were made when the doctorsprescribed the drug, rather than because of dispensing errors researchers said.

Two years ago, a blistering report by the Institute of Medicine called attention to medical mistakes in hospitalsfinding errors kill up to 98,000 hospitalized Americans ayear.

The Bottom Line:

The risks and the clear lack of scientific results associated with medical interventions have been in the media nowfor a long time. The medical "state of te art" may be an acceptable risk for those that do little to promote their ownhealth. For the rest of us...isn't it time to do what it takes to promote health. The risks are being healthy are...