Survey Released on Medical Errors

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Survey Released on Medical Errors

By Vogt

Associated Press Writer

Monday, October 28, 2002; 9:39 AM

DENVER ­­ Most physicians believe that reducing medical errors should be a

national priority, but are much less likely than the public to believe

quality of care is a problem, according to a new survey.

The study in Monday's issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine also found

that nearly all physicians believe fear of medical malpractice is a barrier

to reporting of errors, and that greater legal safeguards are needed for

reporting systems to be effective.

Congress is considering a bill by Rep. , R-Conn., that would

create a voluntary, confidential system for reporting medical errors, but so

far no action has been taken.

Experts said the study underlines the difficulties in creating such a

system.

" There is widespread fear that reporting of errors would lead to more

medical malpractice. I think physicians are always practicing with some

unconscious fear of being sued because it's very prevalent, " said Dr.

Fetters, an assistant professor of family medicine at the University

of Michigan whose area of expertise is errors in primary care.

" There would have to be protections against legal repercussions for

reporting " for a new system to be put in place, he said.

The study was conducted with a mail survey of 1,000 Colorado physicians and

1,000 other physicians across the United States, as well as a telephone

survey of 500 Colorado households.

Respondents were asked to assess their agreement with several statements

from a 1999 report by the Institute of Medicine that found preventable

medical errors to be the eighth leading cause of death in America,

contributing to up to 98,000 deaths annually.

The study found that 67.6 percent of people surveyed in households believed

quality of care is a significant problem while just 29.1 percent of Colorado

physicians and 34.9 percent of physicians nationwide agreed.

At the same time, 59.8 percent of the public said a national agency should

be created to address medical errors while 24.1 percent of Colorado

physicians and 32.2 percent of physicians nationwide would support that

plan.

The author of the study, Dr. , an assistant professor of

medicine at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center and an

internist at Presbyterian/St. Luke's Medical Center in Denver, said the

study's most significant finding was the large discrepancy in opinion

between the public and physicians.

" I think that's probably the biggest problem, but at the same time I think

it has the benefit of perhaps driving change, " he said.

Nearly all physicians surveyed ­ 92.9 percent in Colorado and 93.1

nationally ­ said more training is needed in handling of medical errors.

said he would like to hear suggestions from physicians on creating

better systems for reporting medical errors.

Since the Institute of Medicine's report was issued, at least 20 states have

created mandatory reporting systems.

Marilynn Rosenthal, a medical sociologist and adjunct professor at the

University of Michigan medical school who has written and edited several

books about medical errors, said she doesn't support a mandatory reporting

system.

" The big problem is that medicine is not an exact science and there are

various degrees of uncertainty. Very often when the outcome is not good, the

patient thinks it was an error. In the doctor's mind, because of what they

understand about the uncertainty of their work, it was a known risk, " she

said

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A29929-2002Oct28.html