When a doctor negligently makes an incorrect diagnosis, it may constitute medical malpractice. For example, a doctor who is rushed or impaired on the job may misread a patient’s scans and initiate a treatment program that doesn’t address the patient’s condition. Such errors can have serious or even fatal consequences. However, there are also cases
In a medical setting, a never event is something that quite simply should not occur under any circumstances. It’s not just a bad outcome, such as a surgery that isn’t successful. It’s something that should not have happened – but that did anyway – and it may constitute medical malpractice. That doesn’t mean that all
Patients sometimes have to go through medical procedures to get the care they need. Whether they’re going through a diagnostic procedure, surgery or any other procedure, it’s critical that the proper one is done to the correct patient. One way they do this is by using time-outs. This is a pause that healthcare professionals take
On the whole, doctors and medical professionals usually get it right – they provide patients with high levels of care to make them better. However, this is not always the case. Doctors are human, which means they are prone to making errors and poor judgments. A simple error is not enough to qualify as medical
As with any other profession, cellphones are common in medical centers. Doctors use them to communicate with their coworkers, perhaps to ask questions or request assistance. They can use them to exchange information, like sending emails or checking electronic health records. They can even use their phones to look up information about the newest medical
Medical malpractice happens to both men and women. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that they face the same risks every time they go to see the doctor. Some reports indicate that gender plays a role and that women are at greater risk of a misdiagnosis or another type of medical malpractice. One way in which
People often don’t give much thought to who owns the hospital in which they’re being treated. Many are part of a network of facilities that may span the country. Some are affiliated with universities, while others have a religious affiliation. With many hospitals struggling financially, private equity firms are increasingly purchasing them. While this can
Every July 1, hospitals in the United States get an influx of employees – newly graduated nurses and doctors begin their residencies. It’s probably no surprise that there’s a correspondence between that new wave of employees and a rise in medical mistakes. The so-called “July Effect” is also known, colloquially, as “the killing season.” If
When a patient is taken to the operating room, the onus is on the surgical team to prepare them for surgery in a safe and controlled manner, adhering to established protocols and guidelines to minimize risks and optimize outcomes. However, despite diligent preparation, anesthesia errors can still occur, potentially resulting in harm to the patient.
Surgical errors should never happen in the medical field, yet they do at an alarming rate. Reports show that at least 4,000 surgical errors occur in the U.S. every year, with a significant percentage of these mistakes resulting in adverse effects. Here is what to know about these errors: What causes them? Different factors contribute
