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.
I had open heart surgery in 2000 and got MRSA during the operation. Doctors went back in and removed my sternum. I was on Vancomycin for six weeks and was very ill.
Texas
News Articles
- Some Tarrant hospitals lag in patient safety ratings Source: Star Telegram (Wednesday June 6, 2012)
Star Telegram reports on Leapfrog Group patient safety grades for Tarrant County hospitals.
- Quadruple amputee files lawsuit against doctors, Medical City Source: Dallas Morning News (Sunday May 27, 2012)
Whitney Mitchell, whose arms and legs were amputated after a severe bacterial infection, has filed a lawsuit accusing doctors at Medical City Dallas Hospital of withholding appropriate antibiotics for 38 hours after she was first seen in the emergency room.
- Report: Dirty surgical tools in hospitals putting patients at risk Source: Fox News (Wednesday February 22, 2012)
63-year-old Texas man acquires hospital infection from surgery that ate away at his shoulder bone and rotator cuff, likely from dirty surgical tools. This man was one of seven patients who developed an infection at the same hospital within a two-week timeframe.
- Curious consumers start to see more hospital data Source: Austin American-Statesman (Sunday March 25, 2012)
Austin American-Statesman analyzes available patient safety data on Texas hospitals and interviews Consumers Union story sharer, Joe Reynolds, who acquired a serious MRSA infection in an Austin hospital that he says took him took 18 months to recover from. His month-long hospitalization cost over $82,000, mostly paid by Medicare.
- Controversy over medical device safety Source: WOAI (Wednesday February 15, 2012)
San Antonio’s WOAI reports on the medical device debate in Congress, including the story of Mike McReynolds who can barely walk these days, because the hip implants he received in 2009 are causing excruciating pain. He recently learned those implants, made by a company called DePuy, were never subjected to clinical trials to prove their safety.
- Bad Medicine Source: The Texas Observer (Thursday November 10, 2011)
The Texas Observer reports on the history of a Texas doctor who plead guilty to charges of retaliation and misuse of information after prosecuting two nurse whistleblowers.
- Texas Doctor Pleads Guilty in Retaliation Case Source: ABC News (Tuesday November 8, 2011)
Texas doctor will spend two months in jail and be on probation for five years after pleading guilty to retaliating against two nurses who reported him to state medical regulators.
- Editorial: Public needs more details on patient safety at hospitals Source: Dallas Morning News (Monday October 17, 2011)
The public needs more information about how well their hospitals and doctors perform on ensuring the safety of their patients.
- Hospitals readmission rates under scrutiny Source: Austin American-Statesman (Wednesday September 28, 2011)
A new national study indicates that too many hospitals are fumbling and could face penalties if they don’t improve within a year. Texas hospitals respond.
- New law bans anonymous complaints about doctors Source: Austin American-Statesman (Sunday September 18, 2011)
The new law will allow the Texas Medical Board to ignore complaints filed if the no specific identity is included in the complaint. Currently about 4% of all complaints filed with the Texas Medical Board are anonymous. The legislator who sponsored the bill also happens to be a doctor.
Research and Reports
- Patient Safety America Newsletter (June 2012) Source: Patient Safety America (Monday May 28, 2012)
In this issue: Book review of The Take-Charge Patient–discussed risks associated with dual-chamber implanted defibrillators, and surveyed the promise of comparative effectiveness research. The latter holds hope that one day we will be able to make informed and cost effective decisions about medical care. Last article deals with how difficult it will be to control healthcare spending in the face of of monumental waste in healthcare costs.
- Patient Safety America Newsletter (May 2012) Source: Patient Safety America (Monday April 30, 2012)
Newsletter features a detailed discussion of screening procedures, potentially dangerous medical devices and health care costs.
- Patient Safety America Newsletter (February 2012) Source: Patient Safety America (Wednesday February 1, 2012)
Newsletter covers topics of over diagnosis and overtreatment, the underreporting of medical harm events, and allowing the voice of patients to be heard in reporting medical errors.
- Patient Safety America Newsletter (December 2011)
Monthly patient safety newsletter by John T. James, Ph.D. of Houston, TX.
- Patient Safety America Newsletter (October 2011)
Monthly patient safety newsletter by John T. James, Ph.D. of Houston, TX.
- Parkland CMS survey
Parkland Health & Hospital System in Dallas was under investigation by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) after a CMS survey found “immediate and serious” threats to patient health and safety. Parkland made a correction action plan which is available at the link below.
- Texas Medical Board Bulletin Spring 2010
Includes formal complaints issued against licensed physicians, new physician licenses issued and summary of disciplinary actions taken on board licensed health care providers by the Texas Medical Board.
- State report of enforcement actions against Texas hospitals July 2008--July 2009
Texas Department of State Health Services
- Texas hospital infection committee recommends statewide reporting system
Texas hospital infection committee recommends statewide reporting system