When going in for a surgery, the doctor should fully disclose any associated risks. This way, a patient can decide to either consent to the surgery or look into other possible options.
Diagnostic errors may be a bigger problem than the general public realizes. In fact, when researchers from Johns Hopkins analyzed 350,000 medical malpractice payouts — stemming back 25 years — one-third of those payouts were the result of a misdiagnosis. This makes diagnostic errors one of the leading patient safety concerns in the U.S.
Surgeons are expected to be able to think quickly on their feet. This means that when a patient arrives at a hospital for an emergency, the surgeons and medical personnel on staff should be properly trained in how to best treat this patient.
A doctor’s incorrect action — or inaction — can lead to serious and life-altering injuries for patients. In a number of cases, these mistakes can even be deadly. Many times, these injuries or deaths also lead to medical malpractice lawsuits, which in turn can result in settlements or judgments. Either way, a good number of hospitals and healthcare facilities end up paying out to injured patients or grieving family members.
It is essential to the well-being or an unborn child that a mother is properly cared for during her pregnancy. This means not only making sure the mother is doing the basics — eating right and taking the proper vitamins — but the doctors caring for the woman also need to be weighing all risk factors when providing care during pregnancy.
