Computer-assisted medication systems not a cure all for errors
When a person checks into a New York hospital, a friend or relative should go along to monitor medications and watch for mistakes. That is the advice from a representative from Leapfrog, a nonprofit organization that rates hospitals on safety. Medical errors, which include medication mistakes, have been identified as the third most common cause of death in the United States.
Wrongful Amputation and Medical Malpractice
According to a 2014 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2012, there were over 29 million, 9.3%, people in the United States with diabetes; 1 in 4 does not know that they have the condition. Of the 29+ million, 21.0 million were diagnosed while 8.1 million were undiagnosed. 1.7 million people over the age of 20 were newly diagnosed with diabetes (this was in 2012).
Reasons to consider a mesothelioma specialist
New York patients who are diagnosed with mesothelioma may want to think about switching to a specialist. Mesothelioma is a complex form of cancer, and in some cases, a person might benefit from working with a doctor who has experience treating the disease.
Types of Medical Malpractice
According to a recent study, approximately 440,000 people in the United States die as a result of medical negligence every year. For decades, it was estimated by the federal government that about 98,000 people were killed as a result of preventable medical errors each year. As you can see, in reality, the numbers are staggeringly much higher. In 2014, the total payout amount for medical malpractice claims was almost $4 billion.
Pregnancy Misdiagnosis and Medical Malpractice
In the last few decades, the number of ectopic pregnancies has seen a dramatic increase. According to a 2002 Obstetrics and Gynecology-published study, approximately 40% of pregnancies that are diagnosed as ectopic are later shown to be normal intrauterine pregnancies. In 2014, there were 14 pregnancy-related lawsuits filed by the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
How to Avoid becoming a Victim of Medical Malpractice
Every year, approximately 440,000 people in the United States are killed every year as a result of hospital, physician, and nurse errors. According to Diederich Healthcare’s 2013 Medical Malpractice Payout Analysis, $3.6 billion was spent in medical malpractice payouts. This accounted for 12,142 total malpractice payouts, which is one every 43 minutes.
C-Section Errors and Medical Malpractice
The most common surgical procedure in hospitals in the United States is caesarean sections. The national c-section rate was 32.9% in 2009 and in 2014, it was 32.2%. According to a World Health Organization (WHO) report, there are significant improvements as the c-section rate tops 10%, but there is no evidence that there will be a continual improvement in health care quality once the rate in a country exceeds 15%.
What is informed consent?
Most New Yorkers have probably heard the term “informed consent,” but they may not be familiar with what it means to their health care. According to the American Medical Association, informed consent means that patients must be given information about a recommended treatment, its benefits and its side effects so they can make an educated choice about their medical care. However, standard practices for informed consent vary among states, and there are competing interests which may leave patients at a disadvantage.
Medication Errors and Medical Malpractice
Every year, millions of medical errors occur across the United States. There has been a significant increase in the number of people getting treatment for medication errors in recent years – an increase of more than 50%. As per the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, over 1.5 million people across the country became injured or ill due to the side effects of medication or because they were prescribed or took the wrong dose or type of medication in 2008.
Misdiagnosis of Neck or Back Pain and Medical Malpractice
According to a recent study released by the Institute of Medicine, the majority of people will suffer from at least one delayed or wrong diagnosis in their lifetime. Approximately 2 million diagnostic errors a year occur in the United States. The report found that 5% of adults in the country who seek outpatient medical care will experience misdiagnosis. Furthermore, errors in diagnosis are believed to contribute about 17% of adverse outcomes in hospitals and 10% of all patient deaths.