For years we have been told that roads are dangerous and one of the leading causes of death in the United States. A new study by Johns Hopkins just confirmed that Hospitals are more dangerous than car accidents. The study analyzed statistics regarding the causes of death and determined that "medical errors" are the THIRD leading cause of death in America.

"Patient Safety" appears to be entering the main-stream. The Washington Post article highlights how these issues are just now coming to light. For years people were told and believed that Doctors rarely make mistakes, and when they do Doctors often receive a "pass" because of all of the people they help. Hospital Administrators and Insurance Companies appear to be losing ground on the public relations front, and people are waking up.

The article mentions many of the complexities that must be resolved before we discover how large this problem truly is. One of those issues are secret "medical review boards." Here in Oregon, many hospitals have medical review boards that analyze medical mistakes. However, those review boards and there findings are secret. This makes it difficult to track the number of mistakes and learn who is making them and how often. This process in Oregon needs to be changed to allow more transparency, so patients can make informed treatment decisions.

If you have been harmed by a "medical error" or medical malpractice please call Jeremiah Ross at 503.224.1658.