Overworked Doctors Remain a Threat to Patient Safety
A new article published in the Washington Post has claimed some doctors fresh out of medical school are working 30-hour shifts, potentially putting patient safety at risk. Despite rules passed by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education that limit the number of work hours, many residents and interns are still being worked to exhaustion…. Read more »
Tags: PatientSafety
Posted in Medical Malpractice
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
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
Misdiagnosis and You: What Patients Need to Know
Our blog earlier this week about a Florida doctor misdiagnosing patients with multiple sclerosis is a rare example of how health care professionals can sometimes “get it wrong”. However, non-criminal examples of misdiagnosis are far more common. According to a study in BMJ Quality & Safety, 12 million adults seeking medical care are misdiagnosed every… Read more »
Tags: PatientSafety
Posted in Medical Malpractice
Florida Pharmacies Busted for Selling Dangerous Counterfeit Medications
Authorities recently raided two Florida pharmacies for selling counterfeit medications to patients. Counterfeit medications can contain deadly impurities and are difficult to tell apart from the real products. Pharmacies in Ocala and Belleview filled counterfeit prescriptions for patients, marketing them as “Canadian meds”. In an ABC News investigation, a producer was given a fake prescription… Read more »
Tags: PatientSafety
Posted in Medical Malpractice
How Poor Sanitation Practices Can Cause Hospital Superbug Outbreaks
Hospitals are supposed to be the cleanest environments possible to reduce the risk patients will catch additional infections while undergoing treatment. Unfortunately, a new report published in the Annals of Internal Medicine suggests hospitals are not as clean as the public might believe. The researchers reviewed 80 other studies on hospital cleanliness in the years… Read more »
Tags: PatientSafety
Posted in Medical Malpractice
Can Patients Access The Records Of Doctors?
Last week, we wrote about a ProPublica report on surgeon complication rates being released to the public. Patients should always make informed choices when selecting physicians, surgeons or other health care practitioners. Fortunately, there are a few ways to do this depending on location. Many states, including Florida, have medical boards that issue state licenses… Read more »
Tags: PatientSafety
Posted in Medical Malpractice
How Can Hospitals Improve Patient Safety?
What can get hospitals a poor ranking with LeapFrog? The non-profit looks at evidence-based safety measures in place at hospitals, events reported by the institutions and patient readmission rates. However, there are ways to prevent medical mistakes and improve hospital safety. Which Four Methods Can Improve Hospital Safety? According to The Agency for Healthcare Research… Read more »
Tags: PatientSafety
Posted in Medical Malpractice
Can Smartphone Apps Help Doctors Avoid Misdiagnosing Patients?
Doctors can use a smart phone app that helps them form a diagnosis. Launched in 2001, the app can help doctors avoid misdiagnosing patients. As of April 2015, the app is already being used by 1,500 hospitals. Younger doctors, belonging to a technologically savvy generation, have made the most use of this app. The app… Read more »
Tags: PatientSafety
Posted in Misdiagnosis
