Study Questions ‘July Effect’ on Medical Errors

A new study may cast doubt on a common belief that hospital errors rise in July, when many medical residents and fellows start work. The study found that the phenomenon known as the “July Effect” has minimal or negligible influence on recovery and postoperative complications among patients who undergo spine surgery.

There is no conclusive proof that hospitals experience more medical errors during the month of July. Although there has been some research into the subject, findings have generally been mixed. Earlier research has indicated to Seattle medical malpractice lawyers that medication errors do seem to increase in the month of July.

The recent research focused especially on spinal surgeries and analyzed nearly 970,000 surgeries that were conducted over a period of eight years in teaching hospitals. The researchers compared the mortality rates with surgeries conducted during other times of the year.

They found that that the month during which the spinal surgery was performed had no effect on whether a patient suffered postoperative complications. Overall, they found no “July Effect” on patients’ recovery from spinal surgery.

The researchers did find a slight increase in postoperative infections in teaching hospitals, but the increase was too small to be considered important. They also found that patients discharged in July from teaching hospitals had a slightly higher chance of transfer to a long-term care facility.

The Seattle medical malpractice lawyers at Morrow Kidman Tinker Macey-Cushman, PLLC represent victims of medical negligence by doctors, nurses, technicians and other medical personnel.