Surgical Error


One study estimates between 1,300 and 2,700 wrong-side/wrong-site, wrong-procedure/wrong-patient events (WSPEs) occur in U.S. hospitals every year.

Why do they happen? Two patients with the same name can be mistaken for one another.  Or a patient’s surgical site can be marked on the wrong limb or wrong side of the body. Surgical tools and sponges are accidentally left behind sometimes (in 1 out of every 1,500 abdominal surgeries in fact).

Surgical errors can be deadly:10% of patients who die within 90 days of surgery do so because of a preventable error. The average cost of these types of errors is $40,323 and results in about 9.4 more days in the hospital.

Patients and their family member advocates have the power to eliminate these tragedies.  Follow our simple, common-sense ideas to prevent surgical errors from happening to you or someone you love.  If you know someone who is scheduled for surgery, be a friend and share our checklist today.

For more information about preventing surgical errors, visit this helpful page from the American College of Surgeons.

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  • What’s the Harm in Health Care?

    It's a fact: 1-in-3 hospital patients is accidentally harmed every year in U.S. hospitals.


    300,000 patients die by accident too -- equal to 3 jets crashing every single day of the year.


    We have smart, caring nurses and doctors -- but hospital care is complex. Resources are strained. And everyone suffers when patients are harmed.

  • The solution? Simple Checklists!

    Every patient needs someone with them in the hospital to be their "quarterback for care" -- but very few of us are prepared.


    Download CampaignZERO's.
     free e-book of checklists to help you learn...

    - What to look for

    - What to do

    Please share!

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  • More Help for YOU!


    Take a look at our guide for patients and families!

    Please share!

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