Why Patients Are at Risk of Medication Errors During Hospital Discharge
Medication errors are an increasingly common threat to patients being discharged from hospitals. Four years ago, researchers at Harvard Medical School conducted a study on medication errors and hospital discharges. Researchers used 851 hospital patients undergoing treatment for heart disease to assess the scope of the problem. Half of the patients experienced medication errors during… Read more »
Tags: HealthcareNews
Posted in Medical Malpractice
Bad News: Medical Mistakes Become the Third Leading Cause of Death in U.S.
New research published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) claims medical mistakes have become the third leading cause of death in America, right behind cancer and heart disease. In a strange twist of irony, it seems hospitals may be among the most dangerous places for your health. A similar study published in 1999 discovered medical… Read more »
Tags: HealthcareNews
Posted in Medical Malpractice
Can This Family Change Florida Wrongful Death Laws?
Two weeks ago, we wrote a blog discussing the consequences of hospital overcrowding on patient safety. A recent story involving the parents of a woman who died due to hospital overcrowding can serve as further evidence for our point, but it can also show why Florida’s wrongful death laws can be perceived as unfair. The… Read more »
Tags: Healthcare
Posted in Medical Malpractice
Women Tells Nursing Class Horror Story of Incorrectly Administered Drugs
Nursing students at Penn State University were given the lecture of a lifetime by Sorrel King, a national patient safety advocate and victim of a horrific medical mistake. Sorrel’s story begins in 2001, when she lost her 18-month-old daughter at Johns Hopkins Hospital to a preventable medication error. Like many parents who have lost their… Read more »
Tags: PatientSafety
Posted in Medical Malpractice
Superbug Nightmare: Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria May Kill 10 Million Per Year by 2050
World health organizations have expressed alarm at the continued spread of antibiotic resistant bacteria, also known as ‘superbugs’. In the U.S., the problem has become a major source of concern inside and outside of hospitals. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) statistics show 23,000 Americans die from superbug infections every year. For the… Read more »
Tags: SuperBugs
Posted in Medical Malpractice
In Hospitals, Silence Hurts
For victims of medical mistakes and their families, emotional pain and suffering continue long after errors are made. Victims and family members may want answers, and in many cases, hospitals only offer silence. A recent Forbes article covered this subject quite well, and it shows how patients and health care providers are emotionally hurt by… Read more »
Tags: PatientRights
Posted in Medical Malpractice
Why Hospital Surfaces Are Hazardous to Your Health
Germophobes and people with obsessive-compulsive disorder, this blog may give you nightmares. If you are afraid to touch railings and doorknobs, our blog today may induce a mild panic attack during your next hospital visit. Germs are everywhere, but they love to hang out in hospitals. In hospitals, germs find ways to evolve and develop… Read more »
Tags: SuperBugs
Posted in Medical Malpractice
New Report Sheds Light on Patient Safety Issues in Hospitals
A new report released by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) has revealed reasons why hospitals are ineffective at addressing patient safety issues. Ironically, the report was released during National Patient Safety Awareness Week, an annual event where the National Patient Safety Foundation passes out educational materials to hospitals around the country. Aside from the hilariously… Read more »
Tags: PatientSafety
Posted in Medical Malpractice
Are Doctors More Prone to Medical Mistakes During Residency?
A medical malpractice lawsuit filed against Yale-New Haven Hospital raises some important questions on whether doctors undergoing training can be a threat to patient safety. The lawsuit claims a doctor still in his residency removed the wrong body part from a patient, one of the worst mistakes possible. Why was his patient so upset? The… Read more »
Tags: HospitalSafety
Posted in Medical Malpractice
Can Electronic Health Records Help Your Medical Malpractice Case?
Many hospitals around the country have beefed up their technological infrastructure by adopting electronic health records (EHRs). EHRs can pull the medical histories of patients with ease. For example, EHRs may contain which medications patients are on, demographic information, known allergies and prior health conditions. Having such detailed information can also be beneficial for medical… Read more »
Tags: HealthcareNews
Posted in Medical Malpractice
