Third leading cause of death in the U.S.–mistakes and malpractice by doctors, nurses and hospitals–according to a new research study by the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. 251,000. That’s 8 times more people than die from car crashes. It’s 5 times more Americans that died in Vietnam.
The Institute of Medicine issued a report on this calling preventable medical errors an “epidemic.”
These 7 emergency surgeries account for 80 percent of deaths:
1. Removing part of the colon
2. Small bowel resection
3. Removing the gallbladder
4. Operations relating to peptic ulcer disease
5. Removing abdominal adhesions
6. Appendectomy
7. Other operations involving opening the abdomen.
