Medical mistakes increase at Owatonna Hospital

[Owatonna People's Press, January 15, 2010] Adverse health events increased at Owatonna Hospital in 2009, according to a report released Thursday by the Minnesota Department of Health.

The report, which provides information on 28 adverse health events that fall in different categories under the health events reporting law, cites two adverse health events stemming from surgical or invasive procedures at Owatonna Hospital.  Though neither of these events resulted in a death or a disability, the number is up from the one adverse health event that was reported in 2008.

“Obviously any event is too many,” said David Kanihan, a spokesperson for Allina Hospitals and Clinics, the health organization that runs the Owatonna Hospital. “We’re working really hard across Allina to reduce and hopefully eliminate, one day, the occurrence of these events.”