• Posted July 9, 2026

Foundation Fights Medical Errors That Claim 200,000 U.S. Lives A Year

Medical error is one of the leading causes of death in the United States, and one organization believes those deaths can be stopped.

The Patient Safety Movement Foundation (PSMF), a nonprofit founded in 2012, has set an ambitious goal: zero preventable patient deaths by 2030.

"What we're asking is not rocket science," Dr. Michael Ramsey, the foundation's CEO, said in an exclusive interview with HealthDay TV. "What we are asking is basic human safety factors being put in place."

Some estimates put the U.S. death toll from medical error as high as 200,000 people a year, which would make it the third-leading cause of death, according to the foundation. Worldwide, the toll may reach 3 million, more than malaria, tuberculosis and HIV combined, according to PSMF.

Many of those deaths are preventable, Ramsey said. Common causes include medication mistakes, misdiagnosis, hospital-acquired infections and sepsis, a life-threatening response to infection that can turn deadly within hours.

The trouble, Ramsey said, is that overworked clinicians often juggle too many tasks and aren't able to listen closely to the people in front of them.

"There's so many things going on with patients that they make some errors that they should not make," he said. "We can help them prevent making those errors, because there are systems out there to help do that."

Two families know that cost firsthand.

Rory Staunton, a 12-year-old boy, cut his elbow during a school basketball game, developed sepsis and died five days later after the infection was missed. His family successfully pushed for "Rory's Regulations," which require New York hospitals to follow sepsis protocols.

Anders Pederson died after donating a kidney to his sister. While recovering from the surgery, he received too much pain medication and stopped breathing with no monitor in place to catch it, his mother said. She now urges hospitals to use pulse oximeters, which track blood-oxygen levels, for patients on such drugs.

The single most important fix, Ramsey said, is simple: Listen to the patient's voice. 

The foundation has published 20 evidence-based safety practices for hospitals on its website and promotes a safety culture modeled on the airline industry, complete with surgical checklists and timeouts. 

Hospitals that adopt these steps have cut complication rates by 30% to 50%, he said.

Patients can protect themselves, too. Ramsey recommends bringing a trusted friend or relative to appointments to act as an advocate, writing down concerns in advance and never hesitating to ask questions — including exactly what medication is being given, and why.

"No question is stupid," he said.

Even Ramsey, a physician, said he once had to refuse a middle-of-the-night dose when a student nurse admitted she didn't know what the medication was.  

More information

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has more about preventing medical errors.

SOURCES: HealthDay TV, interview with Dr. Michael Ramsey, chief executive officer, Patient Safety Movement Foundation, July 9, 2026; PSMF interviews with Ciaran and Orlaith Staunton, parents of Rory Staunton, and with Melissa Pederson, mother of Anders Pederson