An estimated 49 to 65 hospital inpatient suicides occur each year in the United States, far fewer than the widely cited estimate of 1,500, according to a new study reported in The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety. Based on data from 27 states reporting to the National Violent Death Reporting System and hospitals reporting to The Joint Commission’s Sentinel Event Database, the study estimates the annual inpatient suicide rate at 3.2 per 100,000 psychiatric admissions and 0.03 per 100,000 non-psychiatric admissions. The findings also highlight the most common inpatient suicide methods and locations. The commission said the findings support recommendations by its expert panel last year that hospital settings associated with psychiatric treatment be made ligature-resistant environments. 
 

Related News Articles

Headline
The House Energy and Commerce Committee held a markup April 29 where it advanced the AHA-supported SUPPORT Act (H.R. 2483). The legislation would reauthorize…
Headline
The AHA Living Learning Network is launching the Quality Exchange, a virtual collaborative for health care quality and patient safety professionals at…
Headline
The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas March 31 ruled that the Food and Drug Administration does not have the authority to regulate…
Headline
As part of the AHA's Patient Safety Initiative, a dedicated webpage features case studies showing how hospitals and health systems across the nation are…
Blog
Public
During World War II, the U.S. Army Air Corps depended on its B-17 bombers to inflict incredible damage against the Axis powers in Europe. These “Flying…
Headline
Mindy Estes, M.D., former CEO of Saint Luke’s Health System and former AHA board chair, and Nancy Howell Agee, CEO emeritus of Carilion Clinic and former AHA…