3 Ways New Telemedicine Technologies are Improving Patient Safety
New telemedicine technologies are transforming hospitals across the country by making it easier for healthcare professionals to monitor and communicate with patients. Depending on the hospital, these new technologies are used in a variety of different ways to improve patient safety. Improving communications with patients: At St. Elizabeth Regional Medical Center in Lincoln, Nebraska, nurses… Read more »
Tags: PatientSafety
Posted in Medical Malpractice
Should Hospitals Take Cyberattack Threats Seriously?
Several recent examples of hackers holding patient records hostage have been circulated by news outlets. Hospitals have also faced direct attacks on their IT systems. Other cybersecurity risks at hospitals are far more serious and involve equipment used to treat and monitor patients. These attempts show that patient safety and cybersecurity are becoming intertwined. The… Read more »
Tags: PatientSafety
Posted in Medical Malpractice
What is the Most Common Medical Mistake?
Reports released by British Medical Journal and other publications suggest medical errors have becoming a leading cause of death in the United States. Medical errors can happen for various reasons, but some mistakes are more common than others. Diagnostic errors are the most common medical mistake. According to a study published in the medical journal… Read more »
Tags: PatientSafety
Posted in Misdiagnosis
Can Doctors Be Sued for Patient Suicides?
The Florida Supreme Court is allowing a case involving a 55-year-old woman who committed suicide in 2008 while under the care of her physician to move forward. In 2008, the woman contacted her doctor’s office and described symptoms such as crying spells, mental strain and gastrointestinal issues. Once the doctor learned of this information from… Read more »
Tags: PatientSafety
Posted in Medical Malpractice
Can Pokémon Go Endanger the Safety of Hospital Patients?
Millions of people across the world are playing Pokémon Go, a new smartphone game that superimposes the famous franchise over the real world. The goal of the game is to visit these locations and capture as many Pokémon as possible. Unfortunately, this has caused problems for players capturing Pokémon at police stations, on crowded freeways,… Read more »
Tags: PatientSafety
Posted in Medical Malpractice
How to Use the Internet to Avoid Medication Mistakes
Patients may avoid medication mistakes by communicating with their doctors and conducting research on common errors. Under the correct circumstances, the internet can be a useful tool for avoiding medication mistakes. For example, some medications have similar-sounding names that can increase the odds pharmacists or nurses make mistakes. There are online tools that can help… Read more »
Tags: PatientSafety
Posted in Medication Errors
What You Should Know About Anesthesia Before Going Under
If you have an important surgical procedure planned in the near future, you may want to stick around and read this blog. While anesthesia is necessary to carry out many procedures, there are complications that have nightmarish outcomes. One of the worst complications is anesthesia awareness, a condition where patients are aware of their surroundings… Read more »
Tags: PatientSafety
Posted in Surgical Errors
Can Computerized Medical Equipment Harm Patients?
Computerized medical equipment can help doctors and other hospital staff diagnose patients, carry out surgeries and keep people alive. Software is often used to turn normal tablets and PCs into high-tech medical devices. However, these devices are only as good as the people using them, for now. We can use a recent example to discuss… Read more »
Tags: PatientSafety
Posted in Medical Malpractice
Patient Profiling: Are Addicts Mistreated by Medical Professionals?
An estimated 23.5 million Americans suffer from drug and alcohol addiction. Unfortunately, Americans with medical histories of addiction may be treated in a discriminatory fashion by health care professionals. Even patients suspected of being addicts may run into trouble. This practice is referred to as ‘patient profiling’, where patients are stereotyped by medical professionals to… Read more »
Tags: PatientSafety
Posted in Medical Malpractice
Joan Rivers’ Medical Malpractice Lawsuit Ends in Settlement
Almost two years ago, 81-year-old comedian and television personality Joan Rivers died during a laryngoscopy. A medical malpractice lawsuit filed against Yorkville Endoscopy by Rivers’ daughter, Melissa Rivers, claims that doctors were initially scheduled to perform a vocal-cord biopsy, a less risky procedure. Performing a laryngoscopy may have caused Rivers to go into cardiac arrest,… Read more »
Tags: PatientSafety
Posted in Medical Malpractice Trial
