When it comes to medical malpractice claims, the estimates of success rates vary, but it has been found that 20 percent to 30 percent of injured persons in these types of cases prevail. According to the highest estimates, a third of medical malpractice cases are decided in favor of the plaintiff, or the patient.
New York residents might be surprised to learn that patients who are deemed “difficult” by doctors are at increased risk for a misdiagnosis, according to two new studies published in the journal BMJ Quality and Safety. Researchers say the reason is that physicians faced with difficult patients are more likely to be distracted from their clinical work, particularly when dealing with complex medical cases.
In 2014, statistics showed that the rate of ectopic pregnancy was 19.7 cases per 1,000 pregnancies in North America and it is one of the leading causes of maternal mortality in the first trimester. 9% of all pregnancy deaths are caused by an ectopic pregnancy.
A New York resident who spends time in the hospital is likely to be treated by a hospitalist at some point. Although this specialty has only been around for approximately 20 years, the role of the hospitalist is prominent in patient care. This party typically acts much like a primary care physician in overseeing and coordinating the involvement of other specialists during a patient’s stay.
Most New York residents would not be surprised to learn that heart disease and cancer are the nation’s two leading causes of death, but they may be shocked to learn that preventable medical mistakes are America’s third biggest killer. Research indicates that over 400,000 American hospital patients lose their lives each year due to doctor errors, prescription drug side effects or unsanitary conditions, and experts say that a sweeping, concerted and comprehensive effort is needed to tackle the problem.
For years, intravenous medication errors ranked among the top medical mistakes at hospitals in New York and nationwide. Experts thought that the advent of the IV smart pump would eliminate the issue, but, according to a multihospital study, IV errors are still common.
New York residents may face tuberculosis testing for various reasons, including preparing to work in food service or in education settings. However, there can be challenges when an individual has been vaccinated for TB because a traditional skin test could produce a positive result. Additionally, current methods for testing can fail to distinguish active tuberculosis from latent cases. A test that has been developed in the Khatri lab at Stanford University may provide an avenue for better accuracy.
Nurses in New York City hospitals have difficult and important jobs, and they are rarely able to complete their shifts without being frequently distracted or interrupted. The errors that such interruptions lead to can be serious, and nurses are expected to focus intently on what they are doing to avoid distractions when performing important tasks such as sorting or administering medications.
The husband of a New York woman who died at a Brooklyn hospital in February 2015 is calling on the state to launch an investigation into her death. He alleges that medical staff mistreated his wife and that she died due to medical malpractice.
New York residents may be familiar with Rare Disease Day, a campaign effort to raise awareness regarding the affect of rare diseases on many people and their families. The Council of National Alliances and Eurordis started Rare Disease Day back in 2008 in Europe, and, as of 2015, there were 80 countries participating in the event, which occurs annually on the last day of February. While the goal of the campaign is to mainly alert the public to the dangers of rare diseases, its backers also hope to appeal to people such as doctors, researchers, policy makers and public authority figures who may be able
