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Error in Medicine
- David W. Bates, MD, MSc; and
- Atul A. Gawande, MD, MPH
The Editors welcome submissions for possible publication in the Letters section. Authors of letters should:
•Include no more than 300 words of text, three authors, and five references
•Type with double-spacing
•Send three copies of the letter, an authors' form signed by all authors, and a cover letter describing any conflicts of interest related to the contents of the letter.
Letters commenting on an Annals article will be considered if they are received within 6 weeks of the time the article was published. Only some of the letters received can be published. Published letters are edited and may be shortened; tables and figures are included only selectively. Authors will be notified that the letter has been received. If the letter is selected for publication, the author will be notified about 3 weeks before the publication date. Unpublished letters cannot be returned.
Annals welcomes electronically submitted letters.
IN RESPONSE:
Dr. Dunn brings up the controversy over the annual number of deaths related to iatrogenic injuries in the United States. The figure we cited—180 000 iatrogenic deaths—comes from the Medical Practice Study (1) and refers to the total number of deaths due to injury. Just over half of these deaths were deemed preventable, resulting in the Institute of Medicine's upper end figure of 98 000. We believe that given the importance of the problem, too few relevant data are available, and that whatever the actual point estimate is, it is too high. Furthermore, the problem of injuries associated with errors is huge, with an estimated 1.3 million injuries per year (2). Error in medicine is vitally important and is only now getting the attention it deserves.
David W. Bates, MD, MSc
Atul A. Gawande, MD, MPH
Brigham and Women's Hospital; Boston, MA 02115
The Editors welcome submissions for possible publication in the Letters section. Authors of letters should:
•Include no more than 300 words of text, three authors, and five references
•Type with double-spacing
•Send three copies of the letter, an authors' form signed by all authors, and a cover letter describing any conflicts of interest related to the contents of the letter.
Letters commenting on an Annals article will be considered if they are received within 6 weeks of the time the article was published. Only some of the letters received can be published. Published letters are edited and may be shortened; tables and figures are included only selectively. Authors will be notified that the letter has been received. If the letter is selected for publication, the author will be notified about 3 weeks before the publication date. Unpublished letters cannot be returned.
Annals welcomes electronically submitted letters.
- Copyright ©2004 by the American College of Physicians
