Scotland cuts surgical mortality as "medical advances increase risk":
This article was originally published in Clinica
Executive Summary
Surgical-care related deaths in Scotland have been reduced to an all-time low, but the health department accepts that pushing back the boundaries of healthcare with new technologies to treat more conditions in the ageing society, entails greater risks. So said minister Andy Kerr of the Scottish Audit of Surgical Mortality (SASM) annual report, published yesterday. 4,091 deaths occurred under surgical care in Scotland last year, compared to 4,478 in 2003. They include 251 (387 in 2003) following elective admissions, and 2,255 following emergency admissions (from 3,098). Infections were deemed to have "contributed" to death in 376 cases (9%). For more information, see www.sasm.org.uk