According to the CDC, the average American made 4 medical visits per year in 2006.
We conducted a poll on this website that asked visitors, "How often are you admitted to a hospital?"
Over 2 weeks, there were 146 respondents. The results of the poll are as follows:
The 2006 average, it seems, is quite a bit higher than the median in those surveyed above, 10 years later.
This shows how there could be a lack of awareness around the problem of preventable medical errors - roughly 80% of hospital patients visit a hospital so infrequently that the opportunities for preventable medical errors are not as present as they are for the other 20% of hospital patients who have ongoing needs.
Could this be a factor in the development of a solution to the National Patient ID Challenge? Join the conversation on the challenge page or the comment thread below.
