Did Medical Malpractice Cause the “Superbug?”
An outbreak of a new type of bacteria has led to seven infections and two deaths possibly caused by the infections. The outbreak occurred between October 2014 and January of 2015 at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. Doctors suspect that contaminated instruments used in patients with pancreatic and bioduct issues may have contributed to… Read more »
Posted in Medical Malpractice
South Florida Hospitals Facing Medicare Fines For Errors
Federal officials are cracking down on medical errors by cutting Medicare payments to eight South Florida hospitals. According to an investigation, high numbers of patients were suffering preventable injuries such as bedsores, blood clots, falls and infections over a period of two years. Safety has become a greater concern after the passage of the Affordable… Read more »
Posted in Medical Malpractice
How Misdiagnosis Can Have Dire Consequences for Children
Misdiagnosis has become a common occurrence in the health industry, and it is an inexcusable tragedy when it happens to our children. According to estimates by the National Center For Policy Analysis, an estimated 10 to 20 percent of all cases are misdiagnosed, and 28 percent of those cases were life-threatening or resulted in permanent disability…. Read more »
Posted in Misdiagnosis
Are Medical Mistakes a Leading Cause of Death in America?
Every year, tens of thousands of patients in American hospitals die from medical mistakes. What is frightening is how high the number is, and medical mistakes are one of the leading causes of death in the country. According to the Journal of Patient Safety, as many as 210,000 to 440,000 people who go to the… Read more »
Posted in Medical Malpractice
Are Hospitals Performing Unnecessary Medical Procedures on Patients?
Thousands of patients are exposed to unnecessary medical procedures every year in the United States. According to the National Practitioner Database, since 2005, more than 1,000 doctors have attempted to settle medical malpractice claims brought against them for surgical errors. Recently, high profile cases of unnecessary surgeries have made national news. Former patients and surviving… Read more »
Posted in Surgical Errors
Can More Be Done to Prevent Medication Errors?
With more Americans than ever using smartphones, several qualified parties have developed apps that can help patients identify and learn about the medications they are taking. Former physicians and the federal government are among these groups attempting to create a safer means for taking medications. The National Institutes of Health is working on an app… Read more »
Posted in Medication Errors
Can Cerebral Palsy Be Caused By Medical Malpractice During Birth?
A mother in Oregon recently filed a lawsuit against Silverton Hospital for $40 million in economic and noneconomic damages after her newborn was deprived of oxygen and eventually diagnosed with cerebral palsy. In 2007, the Oregon mom arrived at Silverton Hospital 15 days overdue. She was given drugs to induce labor, but they had no… Read more »
Posted in Birth Injury
Has Accidental Overdose Become a Leading Cause of Death In the United States?
Pill mills have been a serious problem in Florida, leading to tens of thousands of accidental overdoses on dangerous opiate medications. Florida is not the only state that has an issue with overprescribing pain pills, as a recent grand jury indictment of a Kentucky doctor shows. After five patients died of accidental overdose from medications… Read more »
Posted in Medication Errors
Are Doctors Taking Extra Caution to Avoid Misdiagnosis Deaths?
Researchers from Northwestern University in Chicago have analyzed the responses of over 1,000 neurosurgeons to a survey on defensive medicine. Defensive medicine is the practice of ordering imaging and laboratory tests to avoid potential malpractice lawsuits. Doctors order extra medications and procedures to make sure they do not miss anything that may lead to a… Read more »
Posted in Misdiagnosis
Are Cruise Ship Doctors Liable for Negligent Actions?
Late last year we blogged about Franza v. Royal Caribbean Cruises, the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals and their historic ruling striking down the dated precedents set by the 1988 decision of Barbetta v. S/S Bermuda Star. The old “Barbetta rule” exonerated cruise lines from responsibility in the event of medical malpractice by the onboard… Read more »
Posted in Medical Malpractice Trial
