PLANTSTRONG Podcast Ep. 311: How to Survive Your Hospital Stay with Dr. Julie Siemers
Jul 24, 2025
Dr. Julie Siemers, a patient safety consultant and critical care nurse with over 45 years of experience, shares insights on the often-overlooked dangers of hospital stays. She discusses preventable harm, highlighting signs to watch for and the critical importance of patient advocacy. Julie explains how to choose good providers, the financial impact of patient harm on hospitals, and alarming statistics on safety issues. She offers practical tips for patients, including what to ask and how to monitor care effectively.
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Respiratory Rate Is The Earliest Cue
- Respiratory rate is the earliest and most sensitive sign of patient deterioration.
- Neurological changes follow, yet both are often under-emphasized in clinical training.
Scale Of Hospital Preventable Harm
- Preventable harm in hospitals is massive and persistent, causing an estimated 250,000 deaths per year in the U.S.
- Julie Siemers compares this to aviation safety to show hospitals lag far behind in transparency and systems fixes.
Patient Harm Is Expensive For Hospitals
- Patient harm costs hospitals a substantial portion of operating income, roughly 10–15% annually.
- These costs include longer stays, lawsuits, and treatment for hospital-acquired complications.
