A recent article in the New York Times reports that over 250,000 preventable hospital deaths occur yearly, “Medical errors may cause over 250,000 deaths a year,” (May 5). Even one death due to medical error is a tragedy.

But by focusing just on the number of deaths, not on the total number of hospital admissions in a year, the article blows out of proportion the magnitude of the problem and sends a misleading and shocking message to the public. That message can undermine patients’ confidence in their doctors and could even instigate some to sue their doctors when they or a family member suffers a complication.

Worse, it can whet the appetite of those opportunistic malpractice attorneys who use flimsy evidence and questionable methods to sue innocent doctors. This could increase the number of frivolous suits against doctors.

The point is that the American Hospital Association reports that in 2014 there were almost 35,000,000 hospital admissions. That comes to about 250,000 deaths per 35,000,000 admissions to hospitals.

Not mentioning this fact renders the article incomplete and misleading. It does a disservice to the public and to physicians.

Dr. Edward Volpintesta

Bethel