Adverse Events in Hospitals

Write a 5 - 6 page (1250 -1500 words) paper on the following topic. Support your information using peer-reviewed or scholarly journals. Follow APA format and attach as a Microsoft Word document in the Week 4 Final Paper Drop Box.

In the report entitled, Adverse Events in Hospitals: National Incidence Among Medicare Beneficiaries, released in November 2010, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) at the Health and Human Services Department reported about 180,000 deaths a year in its latest report. "An estimated 13.5 percent of hospitalized Medicare beneficiaries experienced adverse events during their hospital stays," the OIG said in the report. "Hospital care associated with adverse and temporary harm events cost Medicare an estimated $324 million in October 2008," the report said.

• After reviewing this report, discuss the following questions: How does the report define errors, adverse events and preventable adverse events?
• What is the function of the NCC MERP?
• How are adverse events determined?
• What percentage of adverse events has been identified as preventable?
• In what ways can adverse events be reduced?
• Summarize the recommendations of the study.
• How does the principle of learning from errors as a way to improve healthcare quality and patient safety?