How Safe are Connecticut's Hospitals?

By Brian McCready, Patch Editor

*See below for specific data regarding each Connecticut hospital.

Did you know in 2014, there were 24 cases in Connecticut hospitals where a doctor left an object inside a patient after surgery?

There were four times last year where the wrong procedure was performed on a patient. There was even one case where a patient’s care was ordered by someone impersonating a physician.

A new state Department of Public Health report details the number of “adverse events” that occurred in all Connecticut hospitals in 2014.

Overall, the numbers reveal some good news. In 2014, the number of adverse events decreased by 12 percent from 534 in 2013 to 471 in 2014.

The Most Common Adverse Events

The most common adverse events are:

• Stage 3-4 or unstageable pressure ulcers acquired after admission to a healthcare facility
• Falls resulting in serious disability or death
• Perforations during open, laparoscopic, and/or endoscopic procedures
• Retention of foreign objects in patients after surgery

These four categories accounted for 89% of events reported in 2014, the report states.

Of the 471 total adverse events reported in 2014, 245 were for ulcers, 78 for falls, 70 for perforations and 24 for retention of foreign objects.

Other adverse events reported include: 15 cases where surgery was performed on the patient’s wrong side, 4 times where the wrong surgical procedure was performed on a patient, and 3 times where death or serious injury was reported due to contaminated drugs or devices used.

Other rare adverse events reported in Connecticut hospitals include: 1 case where death or serious injury resulted due to a medication error, 1 case where someone impersonated a nurse or doctor, and 9 times where sexual abuse or assault occurred on a patient in a healthcare facility.

• See related story: Connecticut Hospitals Rated First To Worst: Where Does Your Hospital Rate?

The number of adverse events was almost split between men and women. Fifty-one percent of adverse event cases involve men and 49 percent involve women. But 271 out of 471 adverse events reported involve patients 65 or older.

Of the 70 cases involving perforations, 27 were made during colonoscopies and 10 during female reproduction procedures.

And in instances where objects were left inside patients?

• 9 times: Involved a sponge or towel
• 5 times: A catheter fragment was left inside
• 3 times: A guide wire piece was left inside the patient

Here is a detailed look at all of the adverse events at hospitals in Connecticut. The list is organized alphabetically.

It should be noted that hospitals such as Yale-New Haven Hospital, which see significantly more patients, will have higher numbers than those hospitals that see less patients.

Bristol Hospital: 12 adverse events

• 3 times a foreign object was left inside the patient
• 1 time an ulcer formed
• 6 times a perforation occurred leading to serious injury or death
• 2 times where a patient death or serious injury as a result of surgery occurred

Bridgeport Hospital: 17 adverse events

• 1 time the patient was operated on the wrong side
• 2 times foreign objects were left inside the patient
• 3 times falls were reported resulting in serious injury or death for a patient
• 9 times ulcers formed
• 1 time a perforation occurred leading to serious injury or death

Charlotte Hungerford Hospital: 1 adverse event

• 1 time where a patient was operated on the wrong side

Connecticut Children’s Medical Center: 6 adverse events

• 1 time a foreign object was left inside the patient
• 1 time a fall was reported resulting in serious injury or death for a patient
• 2 times ulcers formed
• 1 time a perforation occurred leading to serious injury or death
• 1 time where a patient death or serious injury as a result of surgery occurred

Danbury Hospital: 38 adverse events

• 6 times falls were reported resulting in serious injury or death for a patient
• 30 times ulcers formed
• 1 time where patient death or serious injured associated with a burn incurred from any source in the course of a patient care process in a healthcare setting
• 2 times where a patient death or serious injury as a result of surgery occurred

Day Kimball Healthcare

• No adverse events

Gaylord Hospital: 10 adverse events

• 1 time a fall was reported resulting in serious injury or death for a patient
• 9 times ulcers formed

Greenwich Hospital: 4 adverse events

• 2 times falls were reported resulting in serious injury or death for a patient
• 1 time ulcers formed
• 1 time where a patient death or serious injury as a result of surgery occurred

Griffin Hospital: 10 adverse events

• 1 time where the wrong surgical procedure was performed on a patient
• 1 time where a patient’s death or serious injury associated with the use of contaminated drugs, device
• 3 times ulcers formed
• 4 times a perforation occurred leading to serious injury or death
• 1 time where a patient death or serious injury as a result of surgery occurred

Hartford Hospital: 36 adverse events

• 2 times the patient was operated on the wrong side
• 2 times foreign object left inside the patient
• 1 time a fall was reported resulting in serious injury or death for a patient
• 31 times ulcers formed

Hebrew Home and Hospital: 4 adverse events

• 3 times a fall was reported resulting in serious injury or death for a patient
• 1 time an ulcer formed

Hospital of Central Connecticut: 22 adverse events

• 1 time where a patient was operated on the wrong side
• 3 times a fall was reported resulting in serious injury or death for a patient
• 9 times ulcers formed
• 1 time where a sexual abuse/assault on a patient or staff member within or on the grounds of a healthcare setting
• 8 times a perforation occurred leading to serious injury or death

The Hospital for Special Care: 16 adverse events

• 16 times ulcers formed
• 1 time sexual abuse/assault on a patient or staff member within or on the grounds of a healthcare setting

John Dempsey Hospital: 8 adverse events

• 4 times a fall was reported resulting in serious injury or death for a patient
• 4 times ulcers formed

Johnson Memorial Hospital: 3 adverse events

• 1 time a fall was reported resulting in serious injury or death for a patient
• 2 times ulcers formed

Lawrence Memorial Hospital: 11 adverse events

• 2 times a foreign object was left inside the patient
• 1 time a fall was reported resulting in serious injury or death for a patient
• 2 times ulcers formed
• 5 times a perforation occurred leading to serious injury or death
• 1 time where a patient death or serious injury as a result of surgery occurred

Levitow Veterans Health Center: 4 adverse events

• 2 times a fall was reported resulting in serious injury or death for a patient
• 2 times an ulcer formed

Manchester Hospital: 16 adverse events

• 3 times a foreign object was left inside the patient
• 1 time death or serious injury of a neonate associated with labor or delivery in a low-risk pregnancy
• 1 time a fall was reported resulting in serious injury or death for a patient
• 8 times ulcers formed; 3 times a perforation occurred leading to serious injury or death

Masonicare: 6 adverse events

• 6 times a fall was reported resulting in serious injury or death for a patient

Middlesex Hospital: 14 adverse events

• 1 time a foreign object was left inside the patient
• 8 times a fall was reported resulting in serious injury or death for a patient
• 2 times ulcers formed
• 3 times a perforation occurred leading to serious injury or death

Milford Hospital: 1 adverse event

• 1 time where a patient was operated on the wrong side.

MidState Medical Center: 4 adverse events

• 1 time where death or serious injury of a neonate associated with labor or delivery in a low-risk pregnancy
• 1 time a fall was reported resulting in serious injury or death for a patient
• 1 time a perforation occurred leading to serious injury or death
• 1 time where a patient death or serious injury as a result of surgery occurred

Mount Sinai Rehabilitation Hospital: 1 adverse event

• 1 time an ulcer formed

New Milford Hospital: 2 adverse events

• 1 time a fall was reported resulting in serious injury or death for a patient
• 1 time an ulcer developed

Norwalk Hospital: 9 adverse events

• 1 time where a patient was operated on the wrong side
• 2 times a fall was reported resulting in serious injury or death for a patient
• 2 times ulcers formed
• 1 time where sexual abuse/assault on a patient or staff member within or on the grounds of a healthcare setting
• 3 times a perforation occurred leading to serious injury or death

Rockville General Hospital: 3 adverse events

• 1 time a fall was reported resulting in serious injury or death for a patient
• 1 time ulcers formed
• 1 time a perforation occurred leading to serious injury or death

Saint Francis Hospital: 52 adverse events

• 3 times where a patient was operated on the wrong side
• 1 time a foreign object was left inside the patient
• 1 time where a patient death or serious injury associated with a medication error (e.g., errors involving the wrong drug, wrong dose, wrong patient, wrong time, wrong rate, wrong preparation or wrong route of administration)
• 7 times a fall was reported resulting in serious injury or death for a patient
• 32 times ulcers formed
• 1 time where sexual abuse/assault on a patient or staff member within or on the grounds of a healthcare setting

Saint Mary’s Hospital: 8 adverse events

• 1 time where a patient was operated on the wrong side
• 1 time a foreign object was left inside the patient
• 1 time where any instance of care ordered by or provided by someone impersonating a physician, nurse, pharmacist, or other licensed healthcare provider
• 4 times a perforation occurred leading to serious injury or death

Saint Vincent’s Hospital: 32 adverse events

• 1 time a foreign object was left inside the patient
• 1 time where a patient death or serious injury associated with the use or function of a device in patient care in which the device is used or functions other than as intended
• 5 times a fall was reported resulting in serious injury or death for a patient
• 16 times ulcers formed
• 2 times sexual abuse/assault on a patient or staff member within or on the grounds of a healthcare setting
• 6 times a perforation occurred leading to serious injury or death
• 1 time a death or serious injury of a neonate associated with labor or delivery in a low-risk pregnancy

Sharon Hospital: 3 adverse events

• 2 times a fall was reported resulting in serious injury or death for a patient
• 1 time a perforation occurred leading to serious injury or death

Stamford Hospital: 15 adverse events

• 1 time a foreign object was left inside the patient
• 2 times a fall was reported resulting in serious injury or death for a patient
• 10 times ulcers formed
• 2 times a perforation occurred leading to serious injury or death

Waterbury Hospital: 2 adverse events

• 1 time death or serious injury of a neonate associated with labor or delivery in a low-risk pregnancy
• 1 time a perforation occurred leading to serious injury or death

Yale-New Haven Hospital: 80 adverse events

• 3 times where a patient was operated on the wrong side
• 2 times the wrong surgical procedure was performed on a patient
• 6 times a foreign object was left inside the patient
• 2 times a patient death or serious injury associated with the use of contaminated drugs, devices
• 1 time a death or serious injury of a neonate associated with labor or delivery in a low-risk pregnancy
• 10 times a fall was reported resulting in serious injury or death for a patient
• 47 times ulcers formed
• 3 times a perforation occurred leading to serious injury or death
• 2 times sexual abuse/assault on a patient or staff member within or on the grounds of a healthcare setting
• 4 times where a patient death or serious injury as a result of surgery occurred

William W. Backus Hospital: 4 adverse events

• 2 times a fall was reported resulting in serious injury or death for a patient
• 2 times ulcers formed

Windham Community Memorial Hospital: 2 adverse events

• 1 time a fall was reported resulting in serious injury or death for a patient
• 1 time an ulcer formed

Read the full state report here.

Photo by Alex E. Proimos, via flickr creative commons