The costs of medical error in Massachusetts

Health care in Massachusetts is not as safe as it needs to be. Using insurance claims and survey data, we measured the financial and human cost of medical error and demonstrated the harmful impacts of these events. Read our research report, The Financial and Human Cost of Medical Error… and How Massachusetts Can Lead the Way in Patient Safety.

Full report
Executive summary
Key findings graphic

Key Findings

Medical errors are frequent, harmful, and costly

We identified nearly 62,000 preventable harm events and more than $617 million in excess health care insurance claims — accounting for more than one percent of the state’s Total Health Care Expenditures for 2017.

Medical harm erodes public trust in health care

In addition to long-lasting physical, emotional, and financial harms, survey respondents who experienced a medical error report a loss of trust in providers and the health care system, and many avoid health care altogether.

Communication matters

More than 60% of survey respondents were dissatisfied with the communication from their provider after the error. When providers communicate openly about errors, patients report lower levels of emotional harm.