Lawsuit: Untimely diagnosis turns appendicitis into brain damage
A father of a 6-year-old girl who almost died due to an alleged medical error said no parent should have to go through what his family did. His statement comes after the family filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against not only the hospital and a pediatrics association, but also three doctors.
Study: Missed diagnoses No. 1 cause of medical malpractice claims
Depending on the condition, a missed diagnosis can lead to serious complications or even death. Knowing this, it is particularly frightening to learn that the most common cause of medical malpractice claims is due to missed diagnoses.
Is bed rest really the best for high risk pregnancies?
Women with high risk pregnancies may think bed rest is going to be a given. Not wanting to cause any more harm, their doctor is simply going to order them off of their feet. This means no working and an activity restriction. The idea is the mom-to-be needs to be staying in bed and getting plenty of rest.
Doctor’s leg amputated after surgical error
Recently, a doctor who lost his leg due to a medical error spoke out about what happened to him, hoping his experience can end up making a difference and lead to a decrease in medical errors.
Hospital settles birth injury lawsuit for $5.25 million
Bringing a baby into this world is supposed to be one of the happiest days in parents’ lives. However, when a child is injured due to medical negligence during delivery, the once joyous day can suddenly turn tragic.
Statute of limitations amendment does not advance in New York
A proposed monumental law for New York City patients died last week in committee. The bill’s sponsor, Assemblywoman Helene Weinstein, said that once she realized it was not going to get passed by the Senate, she decided to put the bill on hold.
New York City surgeon removes wrong kidney; hospital apologizes
A wrong-site surgery at Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York City recently made headlines when the wrong kidney of a 76-year-old was removed. In this case, while it is unknown what caused the wrong-site surgery, it turns out wrong-site surgical errors are more common than many might realize.
Medication error contributing factor in patient’s death
Many of the patients in hospitals are already in vulnerable states. Whether it is due to disease, infection or injury, many of these patients just want to be properly treated and no longer in pain. Many of these same patients also do not know that much about medicine and rely on the nurses in the hospital to give them the proper medications, in the right amounts.
What can be done to prevent doctor errors?
Doctor errors happen for a number of different reasons. In New York, many physicians are seeing what feels like a constant stream of patients and in turn can feel rushed. Others can make a simple mistake or overlook a key part of a patient’s medical history. However, what may seem like just a small error can end up being deadly for a patient.
More needs to be done to prevent diagnostic errors
A 2012 study found that 40,500 people die every year in the U.S. due to diagnostic errors in intensive care units. This study, among others focusing on misdiagnosis and delayed diagnosis, point to a bigger issue in the medical field, one that is putting New York City patients in danger.