Safety a cause of concern for hip-replacement patient
In a few weeks I am scheduled for hip replacement surgery. Though I trust my doctors and know the procedure is fairly routine, I still can't help but worry a bit. Through the Patient Safety Act of 2004, I was able to find out that nearly 460 incidents of preventable medical errors occur in New Jersey hospitals each year, and now I'm really concerned. How many preventable medical errors occurred in the hospital I am about to receive surgery?

In New Jersey there is no way to find this answer. Under current law, the Department of Health and Senior Services is required to report the total number of preventable medical errors that occur in New Jersey medical facilities each year. But where are the errors taking place? The information is being hidden from us by the state.

Car shoppers can easily access information about their car's safety record. I can find the hours of my hospital's gift shop and dining services, but I can't find out anything about its patient safety record. New Jerseyans have the right to know which hospitals have the highest and lowest error rates. But now, patients like me can only wonder and worry.
Marilyn Askin
Chief Legislative Advocate
AARP New Jersey
Princeton