Nearly 380 people fell, were misdiagnosed, given wrong medication or suffered other preventable mishaps while in public hospitals in one year, according to newly-released figures.
There were 377 "serious and sentinel events" in public hospitals in 2010/2011 - a rate of more than one for every day of the year, the Health Quality & Safety Commission said.
Of the 377 events, 86 patients died, although the commission said the patients' deaths were not necessarily caused by a mishap, but may have been due to their medical conditions.
The number of mishaps is up on the 318 in the previous year.
"We should view these events through the eyes of patients and their families, and acknowledge that many of them should never have happened," said commission chairman Professor Alan Merry.
The report was not about blame, but about improving things, he said.
There were 195 falls, up from 130 in the previous year, 25 medication errors and 108 clinical management incidents, or misdiagnosis.
Prof Merry says the high number of falls was concerning and the commission was working closely with the sector to prevent and reduce harm from falls.
There were also 11 cases where either the wrong procedure was carried out, or on the wrong patient or on the wrong site.
There were seven cases of retained swabs or instruments following surgery.
Prof Merry said New Zealand had an excellent health and disability system, with more than 2.7 million people treated each year and very few occasions of serious harm.
Medical Association chairman Paul Ockelford said the report provided transparency to enable the health sector address systemic issues that may lead to injury or death.
"Many should not have happened and we must learn from them to prevent future patients from being harmed by the same mistakes."
NZN