'Pattern of errors' plagues military medicine
The New York Times' investigation finds that on several important measures, the military system "has consistently had higher than expected rates of harm and complications."
The New York Times: In Military Care, A Pattern Of Errors But Not Scrutiny
The Zeppa case is emblematic of persistent lapses in protecting patients
that emerged from an examination by The New York Times of the nation’s
military hospitals, the hub of a sprawling medical network -- entirely
separate from the scandal-plagued veterans system -- that cares for the
1.6 million active-duty service members and their families. ... From
2011 to 2013, medical workers reported 239 unexpected deaths, but only
100 inquiries were forwarded to the Pentagon’s patient-safety center,
where analysts recommend how to improve care. Cases involving permanent
harm often remained unexamined as well. At the same time, by several
measures considered crucial barometers of patient safety, the military
system has consistently had higher than expected rates of harm and
complications in two central parts of its business -- maternity care and
surgery (LaFraniere and Lehren, 6/28).
Kaiser Health News is an editorially independent news service. It is a program of the Kaiser Family Foundation, a nonpartisan health-care-policy research organization unaffiliated with Kaiser Permanente.