Recent mortality rates due to complications of medical and surgical care in the US
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Camilla Mattiuzzi
und
Giuseppe Lippi
Abstract
Objectives
Medical errors and complications pose a major threat to the safety of healthcare systems worldwide. This article was hence aimed at determining the current burden of complications of medical and surgical care in the US.
Methods
We searched the latest version of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) WONDER online database (years 2018–2022) using ICD-10 codes Y40-Y84 (complications of medical and surgical care).
Results
The age-adjusted death rate for complications of medical and surgical care increased from 1.17 × 100,000 in 2018 to 1.49 × 100,000 in 2021, but then declined to 0.85 × 100,000 in 2022. The gender-specific analysis showed a similar trend, with the age-adjusted death rate values always being higher in men than in women. A clear age-dependent relationship was also found in the crude mortality rate for complications of medical and surgical care, as higher death rates were observed in older patients.
Conclusions
This analysis reveals that the burden of complications of medical and surgical care has increased over time, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, but has then considerably declined in 2022. However, root cause analysis and actions are still needed for preventing the still noticeable consequences of medical complications.
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Research ethics: The study was performed in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and under the terms of relevant local legislation.
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Informed consent: Not applicable.
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Author contributions: The authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this manuscript and approved its submission.
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Competing interests: The authors state no conflict of interest.
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Research funding: None declared.
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Data availability: Not applicable.
References
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2. Kohn, LT, Corrigan, JM, Donaldson, MS. To err is human: building a safer health system. Washington, DC, USA: National Academies Press (US); 1999.Suche in Google Scholar
3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics. National vital statistics system, mortality 2018–2022 on CDC WONDER online database; 2024 (released). Data are from the multiple cause of death files, 2018–2022, as compiled from data provided by the 57 vital statistics jurisdictions through the vital statistics cooperative program. Available from: http://wonder.cdc.gov/ucd-icd10-expanded.html [Accessed 28 Apr 2024].Suche in Google Scholar
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Supplementary Material
This article contains supplementary material (https://doi.org/10.1515/dx-2024-0071).
© 2024 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston
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- Frontmatter
- Editorial
- Should APTT become part of thrombophilia screening?
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- Root cause analysis of cases involving diagnosis
- Opinion Papers
- What is diagnostic safety? A review of safety science paradigms and rethinking paths to improving diagnosis
- Interprofessional clinical reasoning education
- Original Articles
- Quality of heart failure registration in primary care: observations from 1 million electronic health records in the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area
- Typology of solutions addressing diagnostic disparities: gaps and opportunities
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