The Safe Patient Project is a Consumers Union campaign focused on eliminating medical harm, improving FDA oversight of prescription drugs and promoting disclosure laws that give information to consumers about health care safety and quality.
In 1976 I had my back operated on (because I had a ruptured disk) and the doctor fused my back wrong. In 1978, a neurologist tried to fix it, but the damage was too extensive. I have had chronic pain every since.
Oregon
State Disclosure Reports
- Oregon Healthcare Acquired Infections Reports Source: Oregon Health Authority (Thursday June 14, 2012)
- Hospital infection report for 2009 (11/10)
Consumers Union Documents
- State Medical Error Report Links
Reports from the states with laws requiring public reporting of medical errors.
- State’s request for federal (ARRA) funding of plans to fight hospital acquired infections
Links to state grant submissions from the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act stimulus money for hospital-acquired infection plans.
- Health and Human Services Grants for hospital infection prevention at surgical centers
HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius designates ARRA money to stand-alone or same-day surgical centers to fight hospital infections in 12 states.
- State Hospital Infection Public Reporting Laws
Summary of state laws hospital infection reporting laws.
Blog Posts
- Breaking News: Handwashing Saves Lives
We have said many times that handwashing makes a difference in stopping hospital acquired infections. Like us, President Obama acknowledges the importance of hand hygiene to prevent illness.
- Prescription drug discount initiative passes in Oregon!
Good news! Measure 44, which will allow the uninsured in OR to receive discounts on their medications passed on Tuesday.
News Articles
- Oregon medical error mediation bill set to become law Source: Health care finance news (Thursday March 14, 2013)
New law attempts to settle medical error issues through mediation.
- Doctor in Repeat-Surgery Probe Gives Up License Source: Wall Street Journal (Thursday October 11, 2012)
A Portland, Ore., neurosurgeon who performed an unusual number of repeat spinal operations on patients has surrendered his medical license, ending an 18-month investigation by the state’s medical board.
- "Damselfly" production is a tribute to HART actress Diana Brookins Source: Oregon Live (Tuesday July 31, 2012)
New play in Oregon’s HART theatre, “Damselfly,” is based on the life and death of 25-year-old Diana Brookins due to medical error.
- Damselfly, the Diana Brookins Story Source: Hart Theatre (Friday July 20, 2012)
Written by HART founder Kim (Sandstrom) Hawksey with collaboration by Helen Haskell of Mothers Against Medical Error, Damselfly is often light-hearted, humorous, and passionate, yet it still conveys the real-life account of a deadly breakdown in our healthcare system and the resulting loss of a bright theatre light.
- Patient safety in Oregon hospitals Source: The Bulletin (Friday March 9, 2012)
Five Oregon hospitals score worse than the national average on a key measure of patient safety for Medicare patients, according to an analysis released by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
- Doctor accused of sexually abusing hospital patients in The Dalles Source: The Oregonian (Wednesday August 3, 2011)
A hospital anesthesiologist in The Dalles was accused of sexually abusing two female patients in an indictment Wednesday by a Wasco County grand jury.
- Oregon doctors, hospitals and patients wrestle with growing drug shortages Source: The Oregonian (Saturday July 9, 2011)
Oregon cancer patient affected by drug shortages of his chemotherapy. Drug shortages are a growing national problem, and as a result, patients are getting late treatments, substitute medications, or decreased drug doses for serious illnesses.
- Health News: Medical devices debated in Congress; controversies surface; Oregon connection Source: The Oregonian (Tuesday July 5, 2011)
A sampler of articles on the issue of fees for medical device manufacturers, a debate heating up in Washington DC.
- Oregon pharmacy error reporting program still not working after three years Source: The Oregonian (Sunday July 3, 2011)
Oregon druggists are not participating in a program designed to reduce pharmacy errors.
- Wrong body part, wrong patient surgeries continue despite new procedures Source: The Oregonian (Wednesday May 25, 2011)
Doctor operates on the wrong eye of a 4-year-old patient in Oregon. An estimated 1,300 to 2,700 US patients are harmed every year by wrong site errors.
Research and Reports
- Oregon Healthcare Acquired Infections Reports Source: Oregon Health Authority (Thursday June 14, 2012)
New report released June 2012: Oregon Healthcare Acquired Infections Report January 2009-December 2011
- Infections due to medical care in Oregon hospitals
Report highlights the financial impact of hospital infections in Oregon
Stories from Oregon
In 1976 I had my back operated on (because I had a ruptured disk) and the doctor fused my back wrong. In 1978, a neurologist tried to fix it, but the damage was too extensive. I have had chronic pain every since.