PUBLIC HOSPITAL SAFETY AND HEALTHCARE MANAGEMENT - Essay Example

A survey comprising of about 1,000 telephonic interviews revealed that many people feel it is quite common for patients to be harmed when they are in the hospital. People were not confident that their doctor or the concerned staff would let them know if they had made an error. More than 70% of the people do not know where they can complain about such errors. They do not know who the concerned authorities are and they also want to be aware of the organizations responsible for hospital safety. The number of victims of hospital infections and medical harm is alarmingly high.

Studies show that 1 in every 4 patients have suffered in some way due to hospital-acquired infections, surgical errors, and medication mistakes. Then, there are cases of diagnostic mistakes, inattentive care, etc. As many as 180,000 people die every year due to these causes not to mention the additional costs which are involved to rectify these errors which amount to almost $4.4 billion every year. Consumer Union has helped to pass laws which require hospitals throughout the nation to report hospital infections.

Hospitals throughout the country are required to track and report when patients get central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) in intensive care units in order to get an annual 2% Medicare payment increase. . This law attempts to address underreporting of these errors by requiring hospitals to report all medical harm rather than those covered by the “never event” list. Hospitals failing to report will face a penalty. The state has to validate the accuracy of the data. ARTICLE 2 Bacterial Infections: Good, Bad, and Deadly There are many types of bacteria in the human body.

Most of them are harmless and some of them are even beneficial to us. Cystitis is one which causes infections in the bladder. Bladder infection or urinary tract infection in pregnant women if detected early can be easily treated. But if it is not treated then it can lead to kidney infection causing complications for both mother and the child. Another kind of bacterial infection the Group B Strep infection is carried in the vagina. It can lead to meningitis and blood-borne infections. Group B strep infection can be easily prevented if tested.

Chorioamnionitis or amnionitis is an uncommon bacterial infection which affects the uterus, amniotic sac, and fetus. A pelvic exam during the last trimester could cause premature rupture of membranes. Women who smoke and those with past experiences of water breaking and chlamydia infections have a greater risk of premature rupture. This infection can be treated only after the baby is delivered. The Listeria bacteria is another infection causing bacteria that travels through the intestinal wall and spreads to other organs as pregnant women generally have weak immune systems.

There are some bacterial infections that affect people with weakened immune systems. The most common of them is bacterial meningitis. It is an infection of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord. Infection may cause tissues around the brain to