Did you know your hospital’s profit can jump from $16,936 to $55,953 per patient when a surgical error is made?
Yup.
According to a recent report in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), a surgical complication increases a procedure’s average profit margin by 330 percent for the privately insured and 190 percent for Medicare patients.
Medical malpractice takes a terrible toll on American lives annually. And yet the system is constructed in a way that disincentives hospitals who might otherwise seek to install and implement safety systems designed to sharply reduce medical errors.
As you can see from the numbers above – this fact is irrefutable… surgical complications generate hugely higher contribution margins (profit margins) for hospitals. The contribution margin is the amount a hospital makes in profit on a surgery after subtracting all costs – including the cost of the doctors and nurses who provided the treatment.
One recommendation from the study’s authors – tie physician payments to the quality of care they provide their patients. This move, the authors believe, would provide incentives for doctors to perform their duties with a higher degree of care. Currently, most payments are not tied to the quality of care.
The other option would be to limit across the board what hospitals are paid for a given procedure – thus providing them an incentive to reduce the length of hospital stays by reducing the number of complications.
Steps You Should Take When Considering A Hospital Stay:
- Consider reviewing the safety scores of hospitals in your area to choose one with the highest safety rating.
- Talk to your physician about any and all procedures being considered and make sure you understand fully the actions being contemplated.
- Make sure you have a clear understanding of your post-op routine and any and all medications you are expected to take. Also, make sure your physician is aware of all medications and supplements you are currently taking.
If you or a loved one is ever the victim of a defective drug, a surgical error, the improper prescription of a drug therapy, over-exposure to medical radiation, a hospital-acquired infection, a fall while in the hospital, a preventable blood clot, or a misdiagnosis, call a qualified Connecticut medical malpractice lawyer. A knowledgeable malpractice attorney can help to ensure that your rights are protected.
RisCassi & Davis has handled hundreds of defective drug and medical malpractice cases over our nearly 60 years serving the people of Connecticut.
What’s more, our Connecticut medical malpractice lawyers have received local and national recognition for our handling of these cases.
We have a great team of legal experts dedicated to medical malpractice in Connecticut. Please contact us if we can help you. The consultation is free and there is no obligation of any kind. And – there is no fee or other costs unless we are successful on your behalf.