Comment
The National Quality Forum (NQF) published a report on 27 adverse events that were serious and preventable, “Never Events”. In 2008, Medicare stopped payments to hospitals for any additional care needed resulting from 11 of the 28 “Never Events.” These 11 conditions were identified by the NQF as patient safety events that are entirely preventable. These “never events” for which hospitals no longer receive Medicare reimbursement include the following:
1. Surgical-site infections after certain orthopedic and bariatric surgeries
2. Blood incompatibility
3. Pressure ulcers
4. Vascular catheter-associated infection
5. Deep-vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism after total knee and hip replacements
6. Falls/trauma
7. Objects left in pt during surgery
8. Catheter-associated urinary tract infection
9. Air embolism
