WARNING ABOUT BEING ADMITTED TO TEACHING HOSPITALS DURING THE MONTH OF JULY
Although I’ve never heard of this before, there’s apparently an old saying among doctors: “do not let your friends and family schedule a surgery in July.” There’s actually a term for this. It’s called the “July Effect” It has to do with the theory that during the month of July, there’s a significant increase in medical negligence in teaching hospitals. Well, a recent study conducted by David Phillips, a professor of Sociology, University of California, San Diego, indicates that there could very well be some truth to this.
The study examined 62.34 million computerized death certificates over a period of 27 years, from 1979 to 2006, and it focused on the 244,388 deaths involving medication errors. The study found that in teaching hospitals, there’s a 10% increase in deaths caused by medication errors during the month of July. As it turns out, July is when thousands of new doctors, fresh out of medical school, begin their residencies at teaching hospitals throughout the country.
The rate of medication errors drops back down in August, presumably because the new doctors are up to speed by then.
What's the message to take from this? If you're going to be admitted to the hospital, you might think twice about being admitted during the month of July.
