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Bariatric Patients at Risk |
Not only is being obese a risk to your health, it could also make you more likely to suffer harm in a hospital. The Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority analyzed 1774 adverse events and found obese patients with a BMI > 40 are at higher risk for adverse events with harm. In the general population, 4% of adverse events were associated with harm, but 24% of the morbidly obese population's adverse events were associated with harm. The authors suggest that most hospitals do not have proper equipment for this patient population. For example, identification wrist bands may be too small, beds may not fit (potentially leading to falls), bathroom fixtures may not be designed appropriately, and sufficiently-sized stretchers and wheelchairs may not be readily available (to evacuate patients in case of emergency).
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