Surgical errors are frightening. Many patients never consider the possibility that the hospital, surgeon or surgical staff will injure them through negligence. Nevertheless, mistakes do occur and anyone who goes to a doctor or hospital can become a victim.
Surgical mistakes: Does apologizing help?
Communication and proactive steps can stop wrong-site surgeries
Double-checking to make sure that you're operating on the right patient and the right body part seems like it should be pretty standard behavior -- but a surprising number of wrong-site surgeries still take place.
Off-label use of medical products can lead to malpractice
Did your doctor's mistake result in a drug interaction?
Doctors prescribe medications in the hope of saving or improving lives. Tragically, medications can lead to serious medical issues or even death. In some cases, it is due to a doctor prescribing the wrong medication or a nurse administering the wrong dose. In others, it can be due to problems with labeling or with the way the drug was made or handled. Sometimes, insurance issue contribute to medication injuries. A pharmacist may substitute a different drug in a similar class or group in order to bill your insurance, causing a dangerous interaction. For some unfortunate people, their drug-related injury is the result of a mixture of medications that had a profoundly negative impact on their health.
What are the disadvantages of medical malpractice mediation?
Do juries award too much in medical malpractice cases?
Be on the lookout for hidden signs of nursing home abuse
A failure to explore other possible diagnoses leads to tragedy
Medication errors: Heartbreaking, deadly and unfortunately common
No Progress In Improving Outpatient Care
A recent study has determined that the quality of outpatient care in the United States has generally not improved over the past 10 years. A growing awareness of the frequency of medical mistakes has led to numerous programs designed to improve patient safety and outcomes. These efforts have not produced appreciable results, according to survey data analyzed by the study's authors. The quality of American medical treatment is not getting better.
