ABSTRACT
Replications across other developed nations quickly followed (Davis et al., 2002; Neale, Woloshynowych, & Vincent, 2001; Thomas, Studdert, Burstin, et al., 2000; Thomas, Studdert, Runciman, et al., 2000; Vincent, Neale, & Woloshynowych, 2001). Some were based on projection of the Harvard study results into the size of the populations and healthcare systems of other countries. The results were comparable across nations. The ‹rst national study in Canada on adverse events in acute care hospitals found that in 2000, of 2.5 million adult hospital admissions, 7.5% (185,000) resulted in an adverse event. Of these, 37% (70,000) were considered preventable. In total, the Canadians estimated that in one year between 9,000 and 24,000 of their patients experienced an adverse event that was preventable and later died (Baker et al., 2004). In England, one in ten patients was estimated to be hurt by medical care (Department of Health, 2000; Vincent et al., 2001).
