Many Chronically Ill Patients Report Medical Errors: Survey

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A new survey finds that 23 percent of chronically ill U.S. patients and their caregivers report they've been victims of a medical error.

The AARP survey found that 21 percent of chronically ill patients said their healthcare providers didn't communicate well with one another, and 20 percent of patients said their health suffered as a result, United Press International reported.

Among the other findings:

26 percent of chronically ill patients say they lack confidence in the healthcare system.

30 percent say their healthcare provider did not have all the necessary information when they arrived.
24 percent received conflicting information from two or more healthcare providers.
16 percent say they received unnecessary medical tests.
"Health spending for an older person with just one chronic disease is more than twice that of a healthy person," John Rother, AARP executive vice president, said in a news release, UPI reported.

"Chronic conditions are often preventable, and they take a terrible toll on millions of Americans. Our fragmented healthcare system makes it incredibly difficult for chronically ill patients and their caregivers to get the appropriate care they so desperately need," Rother said.