Select Medical Corporation and other firms that operate long-term care hospitals are the subjects of lawsuits, and troubling state and federal inspection reports that reflect a sub-standard level of patient care at some of these facilities. Select runs 89 long-term care hospitals which have been cited four times more for serious Medicare violations than regular hospitals. Because of Medicare rules, there has been a rapid expansion of long-term care hospitals. However, Medicare does not scrutinize their care or penalize these facilities for violations as they do regular hospitals. Long-term care hospitals generally spend less on patient care and have higher profit margins than traditional hospitals. (2/9) NY Times

In a series of articles entitled “Dead By Mistake,” Hearst Newspapers reveals the results of its investigation into the causes and effects of medical errors throughout the U.S. The lead article reports that each year 98,000 people die from preventable medical errors and claims the number of deaths is on the rise as hospitals are slow to implement lifesaving practices. The number of preventable errors may be even greater than previously thought since reporting is sparse and secretive. Hearst (8/8)

According to the Institute for Medicine, 1.5 million people are injured or harmed by medication errors and mixups. There are numerous reasons for the errors, but confusion caused over drugs with similar names accounts for nearly 25 percent of injuries to patients. Medication errors, including improper use and incorrect dosage, can be made all along the route from prescribing to dispensing the drug to the patient. (7/19) Richmond Times-Dispatch

In an op-ed, Les Weisbrod, president of the American Association for Justice, writes that the Obama administration’s healthcare reform must not limit the legal rights of patients injured because of medical errors. Obama’s plan seeks to lower healthcare costs while improving the quality of care and providing coverage for the uninsured. According to Weisbrod, changing the legal system will not solve these issues, but make it more difficult for those injured by medical negligence to pursue legal recourse. Patient safety should take precedence over focusing on the legal system. Each year approximately 98,000 people die as a result of medical mistakes. (6/22) USA Today

A new study concludes that children prescribed stimulant medications to treat attention- deficit hyperactivity disorder may be at risk of suffering sudden unexplained death. The study, funded by the National Institute of Mental Health and the Food and Drug Administration, is the first to connect the use of these drugs, such as Ritalin, with sudden death in children. Physicians have speculated about this connection because stimulants can  increase heart rates and effect cardiovascular systems in children. However, sudden death in children using these drugs is rare, affecting  fewer than 1 in 10, 000 in the United States. (6/16) Washington Post

Researchers reported that hormone therapy taken by women to counter the effects of menopause can increase the risk of dying from lung cancer. Women  should avoid tobacco when taking hormone therapy, one doctor said. In another study, the drug Avastin proved ineffective in preventing recurrences of cancer. (5/30) New York Times

Columnist Jim Landers explores the notion of capping medical malpractice damages as part of  health care reform, an idea that has circulated around Washington for many years. Would capping damages make health care less expensive? The evidence doesn’t support it.   According to a study by a team at the University of Alabama, tort reform has not provided health care cost savings for consumers. Dallas Morning News (4/22)

Christopher Howard was physically ill, making threats and showing signs of mental illness when his wife  took him to Providence Hospital’s emergency room in Southfield, Michigan in December 2002. Four days later, a doctor recommended that Howard be transferred to a unit for the mentally ill. The transfer, however, never occurred. Howard eventually was discharged, with another doctor saying he didn’t need to go to the psychiatric unit. Ten days later, Howard killed his estranged wife while see slept at her home in Southfield.

A  three-judge federal appeals court panel ruled that Providence  hospital can be sued for releasing Christopher Howard, reinstating a lawsuit filed by the estate of the the deceased wife against Providence Hospital. The appeals court panel overturned a 2007  ruling in favor of the hospital. AP (4/7 White)

A California judge has ruled that Ed McMahon may proceed with his lawsuit against Cedar-Sinai Medical and two doctors over claims that they failed to diagnose and treat injuries suffered during a fall last year. McMahon is seeking a jury trial on allegations of negligence, elder abuse, battery, fraud and intentional infliction of emotional distress. The hospital had challenged the legal basis for McMahon’s claims. Anthony McCartney, USA Today 09/23/2008

Hospitals in Pennsylvania and New Jersey are failing to report serious medical errors to state agencies, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. Regulators cite several hospitals that have not reported any preventable errors in the past year, a sign to some that internal oversight is lacking. Advocates say that more transparency among hospitals and regulators is necessary to improve patient care. John Goldstein, Philadelphia Inquirer 09/12/2008