New York residents may be aware that preventable medical deaths occur in hospitals each year in the United States. According to a representative from Health Watch USA, there have been a few reports that have estimated the annual number to be more than 200,000. Some of the preventable conditions that may lead to patient deaths while in a hospital setting include bed ulcers, blood clots and surgical errors.

A New York City hospital has found that using prefilled syringes instead of vials for surgery may be both cheaper and safer. Anesthesiologists at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in Manhattan have begun using the prefilled syringes for some procedures. This is a time when mistakes may be more likely to happen because there are no checks on the anesthesiologist who is responsible for prescribing, preparing and administering the drug.