Study: Implementation of “Best Practices” Would Avoid 6,000Deaths and 22 Million Sick Days

November 25, 2002 Study: Implementation of "Best Practices" Would Avoid 6,000 Deaths and 22 Million Sick Days More than 6,000 deaths and 22 million sick days could have been avoided annually if the “best practice” care found at the nation’s top organizations were applied nationwide.  These are the findings of a study by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) on September 18, 2002 and released as, "State of Health Care Quality."  The report states, “Prevention and early interventions cost less and are more conducive to quality of life than treatment of acute disease. Yet our health . . .