More than half, or 57%, of
Italians fear medical malpractice, placing them above the
European Union average of 53%, a Eurobarometer survey on patient
safety and quality of care showed Thursday.
Italians also take a far dimmer view of their national
health care system than their continental fellows do of theirs,
with 56% approving against an EU average of 71%.
However, fewer Italians (13%) actually experience
malpractice at the hands of the medical profession, against an
EU average of 27%. As well, 10% of these cases occurred outside
Italy.
Of those who were harmed while receiving health care, just
38% (against an EU average of 46%) sought redress or reported
the incident.
Much still remains to be done in terms of patients' rights,
safety, and empowerment to report medical malpractice within the
Union, according to the European Commission.
"The good news is that most member States have enacted
patient safety programs. The bad news is that adverse events
still occur within our health care systems", said EU Health
Commissioner Tonio Borg.
"Health policy makers must continue their commitment to
guaranteeing the safety of citizens seeking health care".
Ways to do this include involving health care staff and
patients' organizations, enacting binding national legislation,
and EU-wide cooperation on the issue of patient safety,
according to the Commission.
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