Pennsylvania healthcare facilities reported more than 350 wrong-site surgeries between 2015 and 2019, nearly three-fourths of which resulted in patient harm, according to a study published in Patient Safety.
Pennsylvania is in the minority of states that require healthcare organizations to report wrong-site surgery events to a state database. Researchers used this database to identify and analyze all wrong-site surgery events reported in the state between 2015 and 2019.
Six report findings:
1. In total, 178 healthcare facilities reported 368 wrong-site surgeries, which averages out to 1.42 a week.
2. Seventy-six percent of wrong-site surgery events resulted in temporary or permanent harm to the patient.
3. Healthcare facilities reported the most wrong-site surgeries (83) in 2015 and the fewest in 2019 (58).
4. Overall, hospitals accounted for 79 percent of all wrong-site surgery events, and ambulatory surgical facilities accounted for 21 percent.
5. When sorted by bed size, hospitals with more than 300 beds reported the largest share of wrong-site surgeries at 43 percent.
6. The most common body region involved in wrong-site surgeries was the spine (43 percent), followed by the head/neck (17 percent) and lower extremities (14 percent).
To view the full report, click here.