Articles Tagged with ECRI

A newly released report by the ECRI and the Institute for Safe Medication Practices identifies the most serious threats to patient safety expected to impact healthcare in 2026. The annual Top 10 Patient Safety Concerns report underscores a troubling reality: despite decades of reform efforts, preventable harm remains deeply embedded in the American healthcare system.

According to the report, medical errors and other preventable adverse events cost U.S. hospitals approximately $17.1 billion every year. Another $4.6 billion annually is linked to physician burnout. When the broader consequences of unsafe care are considered, including additional treatment required after medical errors, as much as 12.6% of total healthcare spending in high-income countries may be devoted to managing the aftermath of unsafe care.

From the perspective of our New York medical malpractice attorneys, these numbers highlight a persistent systemic problem. Preventable medical errors are not rare anomalies. They often arise from failures in hospital systems, staffing, communication, and oversight.