HEALTH REPORT - Avoiding Medical Mistakes

HEALTH REPORT - Avoiding Medical Mistakes
By Paul Thompson

Broadcast: Wednesday, August 25, 2004

This is Gwen Outen with the VOA Special English Health Report.

Five years ago, researchers estimated² the number of deaths each year from medical mistakes in United States hospitals. The estimate¹ was between forty-four thousand and ninety-eight thousand, or one in every two hundred patients.

The study called "To Err³ Is Human" came from the Institute of Medicine, part of the National Academy⁴ of Sciences. Some experts called the estimates⁵ too high; others called them too low.

The report called for changes in hospital policies in an effort to reduce the chance for mistakes. The study called for another examination⁶ later this year to measure progress.

Health care experts say a number of reforms have yet to take place. But they say hospitals have made improvements⁷. Some involve easy steps to avoid misunderstandings. If a patient needs an operation on the left leg, for example, the word "yes" might be written on that leg. The word "no" might be written on the other leg. Last month a hospital inspection⁸ group ordered that simple safety measures like these be required before all operations.

Another effort to reduce mistakes involves information sharing among hospitals to improve the treatment of newborn babies. Each hospital can search the collected information for the best way to perform an operation or treat different problems.

The Institute of Medicine report five years ago said most mistakes are caused by communication failures. These include mistakes with medicines. New medicines with similar names are part of the problem. Also, handwritten orders from doctors are often difficult to read.

There are efforts to increase the use of computers in hospitals to avoid such mistakes. The goal is make sure patients get the correct medicines and in the correct amounts. A computer can also help avoid other problems. For example, it can warn if a medicine will react dangerously with other drugs taken by the patient.

The flight industry has done a lot of work to reduce mistakes. This includes training pilots about the importance of teamwork. But safety experts say teamwork is not the only solution. Efforts are also made to change systems where misunderstandings and mistakes can easily happen.

This VOA Special English Health Report was written by Paul Thompson. This is Gwen Outen.

1 estimate   

n.估计，估量；评价，看法；vt.估计，估量

参考例句：

• We estimate the cost to be five thousand dollars.我们估计费用为5000美元。
• The lowest estimate would put the worth of the jewel at ＄200.按最低的评估这块宝石也值200美元。

2 estimated   

adj．根据估计的

参考例句：

• She estimated the breadth of the lake to be 500 metres. 她估计湖面大约有500米宽。
• The man estimated for the repair of the car. 那人估算了修理汽车的费用。

3 err   

vi.犯错误，出差错

参考例句：

• He did not err by a hair's breadth in his calculation.他的计算结果一丝不差。
• The arrows err not from their aim.箭无虚发。

4 academy   

n.(高等)专科院校；学术社团，协会，研究院

参考例句：

• This is an academy of music.这是一所音乐专科学院。
• I visited Chinese Academy of Sciences yesterday.我昨天去访问了中国科学院。

5 estimates   

估计

参考例句：

• Unofficial estimates put the figure at over two million. 非官方的估计数字为200万以上。
• We got estimates from three different contractors before accepting the lowest. 我们得到3个承包商的报价后，接受了最低的报价。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 examination   

n.考试，考查，试题；检查，调查

参考例句：

• Teachers always judge their students on the final examination.老师常根据期末考试来评价他们的学生。
• He put up a good show in the final examination.他在期末考试中表现得不错。

7 improvements   

增加或修改( improvement的名词复数 )； 改进； 改善； 改良

参考例句：

• improvements in efficiency at the factory 工厂效率的提高
• They've spent a lot of money on home improvements. 他们花了很多钱装修家居。

8 inspection   

n.检查，审查，检阅

参考例句：

• On random inspection the meat was found to be bad.经抽查，发现肉变质了。
• The soldiers lined up for their daily inspection by their officers.士兵们列队接受军官的日常检阅。