Is Your Doctor On Drugs?
When we go to a hospital or private practice to receive help from our doctors, we expect a dedication to professionalism and safety. In the television show House M.D., audiences were introduced to a cruel and insensitive doctor who swallowed painkillers like candy. What if there were actually doctors like Greg House with hidden drug… Read more »
Tags: PatientSafety
Posted in Medical Malpractice
Poor Communication a Major Reason for Diagnostic Errors
Diagnostic errors can cause permanent and sometimes fatal injuries to patients. In previous blogs, we have discussed patients being misdiagnosed with cancer and undergoing chemotherapy, but there are many other stories of how these medical errors affect patients. One recent example made headlines around the world, when a Dallas hospital patient returning from Africa was… Read more »
Tags: HospitalSafety
Posted in Medical Malpractice
The Three Worst Hospital Safety Issues
Earlier this week, we discussed examples of horrific medical mistakes committed by doctors and surgeons. Hospitals are equally capable of causing harm to patients, many times through negligent policies. When hospitals are dangerously understaffed, doctors, surgeons, nurses and other health care professionals are overworked and more likely to make mistakes. In a 2014 study published… Read more »
Tags: PatientSafety
Posted in Medical Malpractice
How Nursing Mistakes are Jeopardizing Patient Safety
Nurses are compassionate, caring and skilled at carrying out the duties of their occupation, but are also capable of making medical mistakes that can kill or injure patients. Many nurses work in busy and understaffed hospitals with ideal conditions for medical mistakes. Nurses have the responsibility of dispensing medication to patients, and when rushed, can… Read more »
Tags: Nursing
Posted in Medical Malpractice
How Florida Hospitals are Putting Mothers at Risk with Unnecessary C-Sections
A study on Florida hospitals has revealed an alarming number of cesarean sections (C-sections) being performed during deliveries. The study, compiled by the Leapfrog Group, a healthcare safety research organization, claims Florida has the highest rate of C-sections in the nation. During a C-section, the baby is delivered through an incision in the abdominal wall… Read more »
Tags: MaternitySafety
Posted in Medical Malpractice
Study Finds Children are At Risk from Toppling TV Sets
Over the last decade, television sets (TV) have become lighter, thinner and more likely to fall over if disturbed. This has caused TVs to become a severe safety hazard for small children. For example, a child may attempt to climb onto furniture to grab a remote control or toy, disturbing the balance of the TV…. Read more »
Tags: ChildSafety
Posted in Medical Malpractice
Researchers Warn Thousands of Medical Devices Can Be Hacked
Cybersecurity experts have warned that hackers could tamper with more than 68,000 medical devices used around the world. According to the researchers, who presented their evidence at a hacker conference, computer interfaces used in medical devices were vulnerable to attacks using malware. Devices vulnerable to hackers include computerized tomography scanners, MRI machines and other equipment… Read more »
Tags: Cybersecurity
Posted in Medical Malpractice
Centers for Disease Control Issues CRE Superbug Warning
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has issued a warning about superbugs in hospitals. Superbugs are bacteria that have evolved to become resistant to antibiotics. Antibiotic resistance makes superbugs notoriously difficult to treat. The warning came after the CDC found CRE in seven major metropolitan area hospitals. CDC researchers spent the last year observing hospitals… Read more »
Tags: Superbug
Posted in Medical Malpractice
What Hospital Patients Should Know About Fatal Air Embolisms
Hospitals around the country refer to some medical mistakes as “never events”, errors that should not happen. Performing surgery on the wrong patient or body part, medication errors, using contaminated surgical equipment, air embolisms and misdiagnosing patients are good examples of never events. Air embolisms are an example of a truly horrifying never event because… Read more »
Tags: HospitalSafety
Posted in Medical Malpractice
Report Offers Solutions for Diagnostic Errors in Medicine
Misdiagnosis has become an aspect of the American health care system most likely to injure or kill patients. In a report released by the Institute of Medicine, 21 physicians and health care professionals offered solutions for preventing erroneous diagnoses. The report claims 5 percent of Americans receiving outpatient care will fall victim to incorrect diagnoses,… Read more »
Tags: Healthcare
Posted in Medical Malpractice
