Patients go to physical rehabilitation hospitals to recover from injuries and regain functions they may have lost. They may think the worst is over and are on their way to fully recovering. However, a report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services shows that sometimes, these facilities can make things worse. According to...
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This New Hospital Program is Making Doctors Be More Transparent When Medical Errors Occur
In previous blogs, we discussed how medical errors are the third leading cause of death in America and how, unfortunately, very little progress has been made to prevent medical errors. Worse still, when medical errors occur, there is very little transparency about what exactly went wrong. More often than not, hospitals will deny the...
Read MoreAre Deadly Medical Errors Being Hidden From Patients?
In 1995, a wrongful death lawsuit was brought against a Maryland surgeon by the family of a dead patient, stating he botched a gallbladder surgery and failed to treat the complications that followed. The doctor denied the claims, saying he complied with the standards of care. In 2007, another patient brought a medical...
Read MoreHow ‘Alarm Fatigue’ is Hurting Hospital Patients
A recent study from a consultant from Johns Hopkins University shows that almost half of the alarms that go off in hospitals are not responded to in a timely manner. The study shows that approximately 93 percent of alarms that sound in hospitals are not necessarily medically urgent situations, and as a result, nursing...
Read MoreIs a Hospital Acquired Infection Grounds for Medical Malpractice?
Earlier this month, a patient visited the emergency room to undergo what was supposed to be a straightforward outpatient procedure. Three days later, he found himself back in the emergency room with searing pain and a leg swollen more than twice the normal size. Once admitted, the patient was told he had a very...
Read MoreWhy Has Little Progress Been Made to Prevent Medical Errors?
A recent interview with OR Excellence speaker Kenneth P. Rothfield, MD, MBA, CPE and CPPS talks about how patient safety has not improved in the last 54 years, despite the many medical advancements made. According to a study we mentioned in a previous blog, more than 400,000 people die each year in the U.S....
Read MoreWhat is the Third Leading Cause of Death in America?
You’ve come across medical horror stories floating around online where patients wake up on the table during surgery, a doctor removes the wrong organ, the wrong patient receives a surgery or medical equipment is just left inside a patient. You assume those are freak accidents and that type of fatal medical error could never...
Read MoreWhy You Should Be Worried About Superbugs
A citywide study recently took place examining the prevalence of “superbugs,” which are antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria. Disturbingly, some of the more infectious strains have been found in Washington, D.C. hospitals hiding within certain patients known as “silent carriers.” The study included the Children’s National Medical Center, MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, Washington University Hospital and...
Read MoreWhy is Going Home Dangerous for Medical Patients?
In October of 2013, a 66-year-old retiree was treated for congestive heart failure. After her treatment, she was discharged with eight prescriptions for continued care, one of which was a diuretic called metolazone. However, instead of metolazone, the pharmacy technician wrote methotrexate on the prescription, a harsh medication usually prescribed to cancer patients. Methotrexate...
Read MoreWhy are Parents of Newborns Outraged with Maryland Hospitals?
When a child receives a traumatic brain injury during birth due to a medical professional’s negligence, the parents are outraged and their worlds are shattered. Parents of newborns who experience traumatic brain injuries will watch their child experience a wide range of psychological, physical and cognitive disabilities. Many of these disabilities are long...
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