Medical mistakes are an unhappy reality in Georgia

No comprehensive national data are available to know how often "wrong-site" surgeries occur. In Georgia they occur on average more than once a month, data indicate. Yet despite protocols required by the Joint Commission and years of initiatives by medical groups, the problem persists. Regulators at the Georgia Department of Human Resources have received 102 reports of wrong-site surgeries since 2003, when reporting the incidents became mandatory. Since July 1, the state has received 20 reports. It received 15 in fiscal year 2008.