In August 1983, we told consumers about the incidence, cost and risk of nosocomial infections. At that time, we warned that some 50,000 to 100,000 hospital deaths could be attributed to nosocomial infections. Not only was this a tremendous cost in human terms, but in dollars as well. Many of these infections could have been prevented if medical personnel had practiced proper hand washing techniques or maintained proper sterility of medical devices, particularly catheters.
Every procedure carries certain risks.
Whether it be from anesthesia or the slip of a scalpel, there is always the chance that something will go wrong. However, our purpose was not to alarm. Indeed, our goal to alert consumers that they need specific information before agreeing to medical procedures. They need to be fully informed about the treatment or procedure in order to make an intelligent and beneficial medical decision. They need to know the risks associated with the treatment or procedure and they need to know how often their doctor has performed this procedure.