Insufficient education could be to blame for rising maternal death rates
Labor complications continue to cause serious – sometimes fatal – injury to new moms. A recent study published in The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing revealed huge gaps in the knowledge provided to new moms about potential post-delivery complications. These complications, sometimes brought on by high blood pressure, reactions to anesthesia, blood clots or heavy […]
How do I know if I need a second opinion?
New York residents who may not feel comfortable with a diagnosis should learn when and how to seek second opinions. It would be a wonderful thing if people could have completed trust in the care they receive from doctors, nurses, surgeons and other health care providers or facilities. But, sadly, this is not possible. Errors […]
Hospital superbug scares linked to dirty endoscopic equipment
On behalf of Daniel C. Minc Suits have been filed for injury and death from infections from difficult-to-clean medical equipment. We all get routine medical tests from time to time and need to be able to trust that the equipment our doctors and hospitals use for diagnostic testing is safe. It has been unsettling to […]
Hazards and Complications Associated With Gallbladder Surgery
The gallbladder is a little, non-essential organ attached to the liver that transports bile to the small intestine through the bile duct. Unfortunately, the organ can cause problems in those individuals that are susceptible to gallstones, or deposits that can be found in the gallbladder. Removal of the stones only results in more rapid production […]
Greater collaboration could reduce rate of diagnostic errors
On behalf of Daniel C. Minc Study shows misdiagnoses are reduced when doctors work in teams Diagnostic errors are one of the biggest and least understood problems facing the health care industry, with potentially millions of patients being misdiagnosed every year. According to Modern Healthcare, a recent study suggests that one way to reduce the […]
Epidurals and malpractice: When treatment causes pain, instead of easing it
Use of an epidural can result in complications, potentially leading to a medical malpractice suit. Epidural anesthesia is designed to block the pain on certain portions of the patient’s body. Many patients find this form of anesthesia highly effective, but others have reported that the procedure resulted in increased levels of pain. Basics of the […]
Electronic health records: Improving patient safety by reducing medical errors
If you have had a doctor’s appointment in recent months, chances are you have experienced firsthand the technological changes going on in many doctor’s offices across the country. In the past, a doctor’s visit would typically include a paper chart, in which the doctor and nurse would make notes regarding your visit. These days, with increasing regularity, doctor’s offices are adopting electronic health record, or EHR, systems.
A number of companies have created different types of EHRs, which have been used with varying degrees of success. Like any computer system, ease of use is particularly important. Some doctor’s offices have implemented more than one system before finding the one that best suits their needs. Nevertheless, studies have shown that doctor’s offices that use EHRs generally benefit from their use.
Doctors Now Using HD Technology to Reduce Surgical Errors in New York
Most Americans associate High Definition (HD) technology with enhanced television quality. But according to Technorati.com, HD technology is making a major contribution to health care safety by helping doctors reduce the number of surgical mistakes made in operating rooms. HD is now being used to improve surgical accuracy and precision, speeding up patient recovery and […]
Distracted Doctoring a Disturbing Trend in Medical Care
Medical doctors and personnel are expected to proficiently multitask in order to diagnose and treat their patients in a timely and effective manner. In recent years, the addition of technology has assisted in making multitasking easier. From instant access to medical records to drug information to case studies, computers, smart phones and other electronic devices […]
Diagnostic errors in New York: What you should know
Diagnostic errors are more common than you may think and can cause substantial harm to patients. In 2013, Johns Hopkins Medicine released the findings of a study on diagnostic errors in the medical industry. Researchers found that as many as 160,000 people suffer due to a mistake in diagnosing a condition. Further, these errors account […]