10 dirtiest hospital secrets

1. "Oops, wrong kidney."

In recent years, errors in treatment have become a serious problem for hospitals, ranging from operations in parts of the body to the wrong medication mix-ups.

At least 1.5 million patients are harmed every year by medication errors, according to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences. One reason these mistakes persist: Only 15% of hospitals are fully computerized, with a central database to track allergies and diagnoses, Robert Wachter said, the chief of medical service at the University of California at San Francisco Medical Center.

But signs of change are emerging. More than 3,000 U.S. hospitals, or 75% of beds in the country, signed a contract to a campaign by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement to implement preventive measures such as controls on multiple drugs. In the first 18 months of the campaign, these hospitals have prevented an estimated 122 300 deaths.

Although the system is improving, still has a long way to go. Patients should always have a friend, relative or patient advocate from the hospital staff at his side to take notes and make sure that the right medicines are being distributed.

2. "After leaving the hospital does not mean you are out of danger."

A recently published study by Resources for the Future, a nonprofit group that undertakes independent research on public health issues, said that infections sepsis and hospital-acquired pneumonia can kill 48,000 people each year. What's more, the study shows, these infections cost $ 8,100,000,000 to treat and result in 2.3 million total days of hospitalization.

These revelations, along with the recent increase in antibiotic-resistant bugs and the mounting cost of health care, have mobilized the medical community to implement procedures to reduce infections. These include using clippers rather than a razor to shave surgical sites and administering antibiotics before surgery, but shortly after stopping them to avoid drug resistance.

For all the advances of modern medicine, the best way to minimize the risk of infection is low-tech: Make sure someone touches you wash your hands. Tubes and catheters are also a source of errors, and patients should ask daily if necessary.