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Surgeons don’t always follow error disclosure rules

A New York surgeon who makes a mistake is supposed to inform the patient of that error. However, a survey published in JAMA Surgery found that some surgeons only follow some national guidelines related to disclosing such an error. The survey involved more than 60 surgeons who worked at various VA medical centers. Of the eight national guidelines for error disclosure after a surgery, most who participated in surgery said that they followed five of them.

Detecting cardiomyopathy

People in New York who have cardiomyopathy may not exhibit symptoms of the disease, which is why it is essential to know how to identify someone who may have a high likelihood of developing the condition. In some cases, there may be no symptoms or signs in the early stages of the disease, but the indications of heart failure may become obvious as the heart begin to deteriorate.

Diagnosing exploding head syndrome

New York patients who have trouble sleeping may be interested to learn about a sleep disorder known as exploding head syndrome. People who have this condition often experience a loud bang or even a gunshot noise when they try to go to sleep, even though these noises actually never occur. For many, the syndrome is overlooked by doctors.

Malpractice awards and settlements are often significant

Medical malpractice victims in New York and around the country often suffer catastrophic harm and are sometimes awarded significant damages by juries. A Baltimore hospital agreed to pay $190 million to 8,000 litigants in 2014 after it was revealed that one of their most senior gynecologists had used surveillance equipment to secretly photograph his patients. Another 2014 medical malpractice case involved a 29-year-old woman who was left brain damaged and paralyzed in part because paramedics lacked the equipment needed to treat her anaphylactic shock. A jury awarded her $172 million for her past and future medical expenses and pain.

Type 3c diabetes commonly misdiagnosed, study finds

Those who have diabetes mellitus or who are aware of the disease may only know of two types: type 1 and type 2. However, some may be interested to learn that there is a third type, which is commonly called type 3c or Diabetes of the Exocrine Pancreas. This type of diabetes is caused by damage to the pancreas. A study found that this type of diabetes was commonly misdiagnosed by doctors as type 2.

Opioids the top cause of medication-related insurance claims

New York readers may be surprised to learn that opioids are responsible for more medical malpractice claims than any other prescription drug. The findings were announced in a new study by Coverys, a medical liability insurer based in Boston.