Wrong Site Surgeries Increasing

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Hard as it is to believe, surgeons are reportedly removing more wrong limbs or organs; slicing into the wrong sides of bodies; and perfoming surgeries on more wrong patients than ever before. So says the Joint Commission on Accreditation of health care organizations which sets patient safety requirements and guidelines. "It's getting worse", says Director Dennis O'Leary; "I can assure you this is just the tip of the iceberg." Don't become a victim - bring family members as advocates, remind surgical teams why you're there and who you are, and demand that the doctor marks the correct surgical site BEFORE you go under. To read more about the 20 Year Study just published in the Archives of Surgery, read the USA TODAY article.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2006-04-17-wrong-surgery_x.htm