MANKATO — An annual report released in late June by the Minnesota Department of Health reveals that hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers reported a smaller increase in mistakes than the previous reporting period.
Mayo Clinic Health System in Mankato reported 15 adverse events within that 12-month reporting period. These included one surgical or invasive procedure event, 13 care management events, three of which resulted in serious injury, and one potentially criminal event, which also resulted in serious injury. No deaths were reported.
Mayo Clinic Health System did not respond to a Free Press request seeking comment.
During the 12‑month period beginning Oct. 7, 2023, and ending Oct. 6, 2024, there were a total of 624 “adverse health events” reported — an increase of 14 compared to the previous year, marking the smallest year‑over‑year rise since before COVID-19.
The adverse events include a range of incidents often considered preventable such as pressure ulcers, patient falls, wrong‑site surgeries, retained foreign objects and medication errors.
“We are glad to see the rate of increase in the number of adverse health events beginning to slow,” stated Minnesota Commissioner of Health Dr. Brooke Cunningham in a press release. “Thankfully, these types of patient harms continue to be rare when viewed against overall volume. However, we believe many, if not most, of these events are preventable and we are committed to working with providers through education and analysis to advocate for patient safety.”
Regarding severe injuries and deaths, a total of 238 events were reported, unchanged from 2023. However, the number of deaths declined by two, at 14 fatalities. The report highlights a 44% drop in medication-related adverse events, one of the most pronounced declines among event categories.
Biological specimen mishandlings decreased, with pressure ulcers and falls remaining the most commonly reported events, with overall numbers tracking closely to 2023 levels.
According to the report, contributing factors of these numbers include longer hospital stays and rising surgical volume as the state continued to experience elevated patient length of stay and an 8.5% increase in procedures in 2024, 621,205 compared to 572,031 in 2023.
The department’s website corroborates all reports made by hospitals and surgical centers by checking death records and licensing boards. Facilities must report adverse events within 15 days of discovery or be investigated by the Office of Health Facility Complaints.
The department provides the public with a list of the 29 reportable adverse health events that hospitals and surgical centers are required to report. All 29 events fall under seven categories — surgical, product or devices, patient protection, care management, environmental, radiologic and potentially criminal events.
“This report reflects meaningful progress in areas where hospitals have focused on improvement, even as we deliver care in an increasingly complex environment,” said Dr. Rahul Koranne, president and CEO of the Minnesota Hospital Association.
“That progress is all the more remarkable with Minnesota hospitals delivering care across more than 6 million patient days last year. Minnesota hospitals provide world-class care wherever and whenever patients need it, and we will continue to be unrelenting in our effort to improve.”
The report states the department will see targeted initiatives focusing on surgical safety protocols in 2025-26 and in 2026 they will shift adverse event reporting to align with calendar years, with the next report covering Oct. 7, 2024, to Dec. 31, 2025.