Foundation fights medical errors that claim 200,000 US lives a year

by Ellyn Vohnoutka

edited by Gaby Clark, reviewed by Andrew Zinin

Gaby Clark

Scientific Editor

Meet our editorial team
Behind our editorial process

Andrew Zinin

Chief Editor

Meet our editorial team
Behind our editorial process Editors' notes

This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

fact-checked

reputable news agency

proofread

The GIST Add as preferred source

Medical error is one of the leading causes of death in the United States, and one organization believes those deaths can be stopped.

The Patient Safety Movement Foundation (PSMF), a nonprofit founded in 2012, has set an ambitious goal: zero preventable patient deaths by 2030.

"What we're asking is not rocket science," Dr. Michael Ramsey, the foundation's CEO, said in an exclusive interview with HealthDay TV. "What we are asking is basic human safety factors being put in place."

Some estimates put the U.S. death toll from medical error as high as 200,000 people a year, which would make it the third-leading cause of death, according to the foundation. Worldwide, the toll may reach 3 million, more than malaria, tuberculosis and HIV combined, according to PSMF.

Many of those deaths are preventable, Ramsey said. Common causes include medication mistakes, misdiagnosis, hospital-acquired infections and sepsis, a life-threatening response to infection that can turn deadly within hours.

The trouble, Ramsey said, is that overworked clinicians often juggle too many tasks and aren't able to listen closely to the people in front of them.

"There's so many things going on with patients that they make some errors that they should not make," he said. "We can help them prevent making those errors, because there are systems out there to help do that."

Two families know that cost firsthand.

Rory Staunton, a 12-year-old boy, cut his elbow during a school basketball game, developed sepsis and died five days later after the infection was missed. His family successfully pushed for "Rory's Regulations," which require New York hospitals to follow sepsis protocols.

Anders Pederson died after donating a kidney to his sister. While recovering from the surgery, he received too much pain medication and stopped breathing with no monitor in place to catch it, his mother said. She now urges hospitals to use pulse oximeters, which track blood oxygen levels, for patients on such drugs.

The single most important fix, Ramsey said, is simple: Listen to the patient's voice.

The foundation has published 20 evidence-based safety practices for hospitals on its website and promotes a safety culture modeled on the airline industry, complete with surgical checklists and timeouts.

Hospitals that adopt these steps have cut complication rates by 30% to 50%, he said.

Patients can protect themselves, too. Ramsey recommends bringing a trusted friend or relative to appointments to act as an advocate, writing down concerns in advance and never hesitating to ask questions—including exactly what medication is being given, and why.

"No question is stupid," he said.

Even Ramsey, a physician, said he once had to refuse a middle-of-the-night dose when a student nurse admitted she didn't know what the medication was.

Key medical concepts

Medical ErrorsSepsisHospital Infectionpulse oximeters

Clinical categories

Preventive medicineHospital medicineCommon illnesses & Prevention Who's behind this story?

Gaby Clark

MA in English, copy editor since 2021 with experience in higher education and health content. Dedicated to trustworthy science news. Full profile →

Andrew Zinin

Master's in physics with research experience. Long-time science news enthusiast. Plays key role in Science X's editorial success. Full profile →

© 2026 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Citation: Foundation fights medical errors that claim 200,000 US lives a year (2026, July 9) retrieved 9 July 2026 from https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-foundation-medical-errors-year.html This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.