Will overcrowded emergency rooms contribute to doctor errors?
When there is a shortage of qualified medical staff, available providers may feel rushed or overwhelmed when trying to see to every patient’s needs. Medical experts in New York and across the country are raising concerns about the impact of the Affordable Care Act on emergency room numbers, and it seems logical to question whether overcrowded ERs will lead to increased doctor errors.
Can financially-driven care increase hospital negligence cases?
When individuals in New York seek medical attention, they expect a certain level of professionalism and care. Even when entering a busy emergency room, residents expect that doctors and other staff will attempt to make the best possible decisions for the situation at hand. A lawsuit filed across six states against one of the top hospital chains in the country brings to light the fact that financially based decision making sometimes supersedes patient needs. It also raises the question: When patients are needlessly admitted or treated to bolster financial numbers, does it increase the chance of hospital negligence through exposure to hazards and possible medical mistakes?
Woman claims medical errors ruined her career as opera singer
For residents of Manhattan, New York, a botched surgery that impacts work ability could mean loss of income, financial issues and even bankruptcy. When doctor negligence or other medical errors cause future loss of life, income or enjoyment, victims can file medical malpractice claims. One woman in another state is claiming that a medical error is impacting her ability to perform as an opera singer.
Couple sues Veteran Affairs for failure to diagnose cancer
For New York residents, one of the worst pieces of news the doctor can provide is a diagnosis of cancer. Even worse, however, is the failure to diagnose cancer that exists so patients can get timely treatment. For one man in New York, the diagnosis of skin cancer may have come too late for effective treatment.
New York Supreme Court rules in case of doctor’s overdose death
The New York Supreme Court has dismissed a lawsuit against New York Presbyterian Hospital filed by the estate of one of its doctors who committed suicide using propofol. The 2011 suicide came less than a year after the anesthesiology resident finished a hospital-affiliated rehabilitation program for addiction to the substance. After completing the 6-week program, she was allowed to return to work, and eventually to duty in the operating room, where she had “easy access” to the drug. Two months later, she announced that she was going to be resigning. The next day, she killed herself with a propofol overdose.
State’s case against negligent doctor falls apart
New York residents who are dealing with mental illness themselves or with mentally ill friends and family expect to place a certain amount of trust in behavioral health staff. In another state, a case against a psychiatrist alleges doctor negligence and unprofessional conduct. Complaints include that the doctor made medication errors and ignored the needs of a pediatric patient.
Family receives compensation after negligence-related death
New York residents may be interested in a recent jury decision which awarded a family $2.4 million. In 2007, a woman died after seeking emergency treatment for severe pain in her abdomen and back. Two years earlier, she had undergone gastric bypass surgery, a relatively common procedure. Often, bowel obstruction is a complication in this type of surgery, but the suit claimed that the failure to diagnose this lead to her death.
Breast density law aims to reduce missed diagnoses of cancer
When a doctor looks at a mammogram, he or she could mistake a tumor for dense breast tissue. In fact, a 2011 study by the Mayo Clinic showed that in 75 percent of women’s mammograms that indicated dense breast tissue, doctors failed to detect cancer that was present.
A-Rod claims Yankees doctor failed to inform; files lawsuit
While Yankee Alex Rodriguez is facing his own issues related to the 211-game suspension handed down in August, A-Rod also recently decided to file a lawsuit related to the medical care he received in October 2012. He claims that while an injury was clearly seen on a MRI, the Yankees physician did not tell him about the injury and cleared him to play.
Medical malpractice lawsuit claims failure to disclose risks
When going in for a surgery, the doctor should fully disclose any associated risks. This way, a patient can decide to either consent to the surgery or look into other possible options.