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ROCHESTER — An increase in medication errors, falls and other adverse health events at Minnesota's hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers continued in 2023, according to new data from the Minnesota Department of Health.

From Oct. 7, 2022, to Oct. 6, 2023, these facilities reported 610 adverse health events, including 222 that resulted in serious injury and 16 that resulted in a patient's death. It's an increase over last year — 572 events — and a 166% increase since 2019, MDH said.

Hospitals and surgical centers are required to report 29 types of "often preventable errors" to the state, MDH said. These events include falls, pressure ulcers or bedsores, medication errors and foreign objects left in patients after surgery. In the 2023 report year, MDH said nearly 40% of these events led to serious injury. Pressure ulcers made up 47% of adverse health events statewide.

"Though adverse health events in these settings continue to be rare relative to overall patient volume, we are troubled by the current trend lines of both the number of adverse events and their severity," Minnesota Commissioner of Health Dr. Brooke Cunningham said. "We remain committed to conducting these types of analyses and advocating for changes in how care is delivered to improve outcomes and ensure patient safety for all Minnesotans."

In Rochester, Mayo Clinic Hospital recorded 53 adverse events. This includes 13 serious injuries and two deaths — one patient disappearance and one suicide, per the MDH data.

"Across our Minnesota hospitals, Mayo Clinic reported 79 events during the 2022-2023 Minnesota Adverse Health Events reporting cycle, including a decrease of 10 events in Rochester from the last cycle, from 63 to 53 events," Mayo Clinic said in a statement. "The number of reportable events across Mayo Clinic’s Minnesota hospitals remained relatively steady over the past three years while the number of patients seeking Mayo Clinic care continues to grow."

The overall increase in adverse health events coincides with a statewide rise in patient days. In the 2023 reporting period, Minnesota's hospitals logged 5.9 million patient days versus 5.5 million in 2022.

"Longer patient stays continue to be a trend since the COVID-19 pandemic," MDH said. "A portion of the 2023 increase in adverse health events can be attributed to the continued growth in adjusted patient days. Prolonged periods of time in the hospital have been linked to an increased risk of experiencing an adverse event."

A survey released by the Minnesota Hospital Association in January estimated that, from January through October 2023, hospitals logged 195,000 extra patient days due to delays in discharging patients to other care facilities, such as nursing homes and mental health treatment centers.

"Every adverse health event touches the lives of our patients and their families and highlights the challenges in our health care system," said Dr. Rahul Koranne, MHA president and CEO, said. "These difficulties have been exacerbated by serious financial and workforce deficits in our hospitals and health systems, as well as a significant increase in patient stays."

From 2018 to 2023, Mayo Clinic Hospital's total patient days increased 22.6%.

The report does not include federal hospitals.