The initial report by the committee at the end of 1999 indicated that there are significant numbers of individuals who are harmed by the systems of care that they receive, including the fact that somewhere between 44,000 and 98,000 Americans actually die each year as a result of injuries received, many of which are preventable. Secondly, care should be effective. It should have been shown to be the most effective by using evidence-based care. Third, it should be patient-centered. Too often we find that health care has been organized, not for the convenience of patients, but for the convenience of other parties.
Hospitals have to work in shifts.
Hospitals normally don't do elective surgery on weekends. That's because of how the hospital is organized. We are saying that all care should be organized around the concerns of patients and it should be sensitive to their preferences. Fourth, it should be timely. Around the country, patients frequently have to wait to get their care.