The Controversy Facing Patient Safety in the U.S.

At some point in June 2012, hospitals across the country received a safety report card from the Leap Frog Group. According to reports, most facilities are rank C or less. The report also showed that the largest hospital like Michigan's Henry Ford Hospital had hardly passed. The report card is designed to provide information to patients and to promote patient safety improvement, especially facing many criticisms and controversies from failed hospitals.

The healthcare system in the United States (USA) faces many challenges due to demographic, economic, and political change. There is a gap in the quality of care, ease of use, and patient safety. The population of the United States is rapidly aging and it is estimated that 18% of the US population will reach 65 years of age or older by 2025 (US Census Bureau, 2012). As the number of beneficiaries of health insurance increases, the demand for primary care providers also increases. By 2020, the US is estimated to require more than 40% of primary care providers (Hauer et al., 2008). Americans over the age of 65 suffer from multiple types of chronic illness, and the lack of doctors will not meet the anticipated needs (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2012).

Patient safety and medical quality are important issues in the US health care system. According to CDC, over one third of American adults have obesity. Furthermore, according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), obesity is a chronic disease in the United States and is believed to be the second leading cause of preventable death in the country. Obesity kills about 300,000 people each year, and we are focusing on research on chronic diseases.