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Medical Complications Cause 32,000 Deaths, Cost $9 Billion A Year

On October 7, 2003, a combined study by the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and Johns Hopkins University reported that medical complications cause more than 30,000 deaths and add billions of dollars to patient’s medical bills.

The study examined 7.5 million hospital stays at 984 U.S. hospitals in 2000. The data projected that U.S. patients endured an extra 2.4 million days in hospitals and spent an additional $9.3 billion in excess costs as a result.

Hospital-acquired septic infections and reopening of surgical wounds were the costliest. Post-operative infections were responsible for an average of 11 extra days and $58,000 in costs. Re-opened wounds cost 9.4 extra days and $40,000.

According to the study author Chunliu Zhan, these same complications lead directly to 32,000 deaths a year. Zhan also went on to say, “our results clearly show that medical injuries in hospitals pose a significant threat to patients and incur substantial costs to society.”

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