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Board of Directors
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President: April Messer, Angier
Melissa Pollock, R.N., J.D., Wilmington
John Faulkner, M.D., Raleigh
Burton Craige, M.P.H., J.D., Raleigh
Suzanne Kirby, M.D., Chapel Hill
Charles Rawlings, M.D., J.D., Winston Salem
Amanda Starbuck, R.N., Statesville
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| The North Carolina Coalition for Patient Safety |
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Promoting Patient Safety
The North Carolina Coalition for Patient Safety (NCCPS) was formed to give a voice to patients in public debates about health care. Composed of patients, health care providers and patient advocates, NCCPS is dedicated to promoting patient safety, improving the quality of health care in North Carolina, and protecting patient rights.
According to the Institute of Medicine (IOM), as many as 98,000 Americans die each year from medical errors in hospitals. Here in North Carolina, up to 2,800 patients die in hospitals every year from preventable mistakes. Although these statistics are compelling, they understate the impact of medical mistakes. Many victims of medical errors survive but suffer life-long catastrophic injuries, imposing an enormous economic and emotional toll on patients and their families.
Despite this epidemic of medical errors, the insurance industry is demanding legislation that would insulate doctors and hospitals from being held accountable for their mistakes. Patients who have been injured by medical errors would be denied any effective legal recourse. Without legal responsibility, health care institutions would have less incentive to prevent future errors. NCCPS believes that the best way to reduce malpractice insurance premiums is to prevent malpractice.
Improving patient safety will require the concerted efforts of health care providers and consumers. The North Carolina Medical Board must take a tougher stand on doctors who commit repeated acts of medical negligence. Hospitals and nursing homes must implement safeguards to reduce the risk of medical mistakes. Better communication between health care providers is essential. Patients and their families need the tools to take a more active role in obtaining high quality care.
Far too often, patients are excluded from discussions about health policy and safety. NCCPS is committed to giving North Carolina patients a seat at the table, ensuring that decisionmakers will hear the voices of the people who are most directly affected.
Through NCCPS, patients and health care providers are working together to create a safer health care system in North Carolina. We invite you to join us.
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Latest News
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Wall Street Journal
For Patients, a List of Hospital Hazards
By: Laura Landro
You could call it the top 10 reasons to stay out of the hospital.
The Ecri Institute, which conducts patient-safety research and investigates medical-device incident, last week issued its second annual report on the top 10 technology hazards that should be on every hospital's list of safety concerns for medical-device use.
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