Individuals Like You
The statistics are daunting, but we are people, not numbers. Members of the Consumer Health Quality Council have shared their stories of encounters with poor quality care. Read or watch some of these stories here.
Facts About Poor Care
When something goes wrong with our health care, we often feel isolated and alone. The sad truth is that many, many people are impacted by quality issues in their health care.
Did You Know...
- The Institute of Medicine estimates that medical errors injure approximately 1 million Americans each year during the course of their hospital stay.
- In Massachusetts, 1 in 5 adults has experienced a medical error, while 52 percent know someone who has.
- Across America, healthcare-associated infections account for an estimated 1.7 million infections and 99,000 associated deaths each year, roughly 5 infections for every 100 patient admissions.
- Serious and avoidable medication mistakes affect an estimated 1 in 10 patients admitted to Massachusetts hospitals.
Join Us
The Consumer Health Quality Council is a group of people who are using their experiences with poor quality care to push for a safer, higher quality health care system. If you are interested in joining the movement for better care, click here.
For Support Groups
There are places to turn for healing if you have been impacted by medical error. MITSS (Medically Induced Trauma Support Services) provides educational support groups led by a clinical psychologist for patients and their families who have been affected by medical error or unanticipated outcomes. MITSS also provides support groups for nursing professionals finding themselves at the “sharp end?of an adverse medical event. Click here for more information about MITSS' services.
Patient and Family Advisory Councils
By law, all Massachusetts hospitals are required to have Patient and Family Advisory Councils (PFACs). PFACs bring together current and former patients to work with the hospital on improving quality of care and the patient and family care experience. To find out how to get involved in a hospital’s PFAC and to learn more about the work of PFAC, go to the PFAC webpage on the Health Care For All website.Information on MA Hospitals | What is a Patient Advocate | Writing Complaint Letters