There are an
unsettling number of medical mistakes that happen annually. In fact, it’s been
estimated that medical mistakes is the number one cause of death, even above heart
disease. Despite the stringent laws and requirements of hospitals and medical facilities,
serious injuries and even death result because of mistakes that could have been
prevented. Information about any medical malpractice
harrisburg pa is sought out when families experience unimaginable loss.
A common medical mistake is infections. This is a problem across all areas of
medicine, but the highest rates occur in the intensive care unit, neonatal and
pediatric care. There are many protocols and procedures that are intended to
prevent infection. When there is a lack of adherence, the possibility of an
infection increases. It’s a common reason why mothers die after giving birth
and the rates of death are not are not slowing down. In fact, studies show an
increasing number of instances where a non-life-threatening illness and
hospital visit results in death.
Prescription errors are claiming the lives of more than a million patients
every year. This often occurs when there is a lack of communication or
inaccurate information is obtained, which results in the wrong label being
placed on medication. Sometimes it happens when what the doctor has prescribed
is wrong. It’s not uncommon for medications that are newly approved by the FDA
to have dangerous side effects.
Another medical mistake is making the wrong diagnosis. The reason why this is
so troubling is because the wrong diagnosis often results in procedures that
never needed to occur. Whether that procedure involves amputation or
chemotherapy, it’s something that can have long-term consequences. An
inaccurate diagnosis can also mean that a patient doesn’t receive the care they
need.
When a doctor or medical team provides a plan of care, there should be adequate
follow up to make sure it happens. Since the reason for care plan is to ensure
the patient receives the necessary protocol, failure to follow up can result in
them not receiving the medication or the procedure needed. There are many
occasions when this happens because of short staffing. There simply were not
enough health care professionals available to meet the needs of the facility.
Surgical errors happen for a lot of different reasons. Sometimes it’s because
the surgeon did not receive an adequate amount of rest after working long
hours. There are other instances when the equipment used for the procedure was
not sanitary. There are also an increasing number of surgical procedures where
the wrong organ is removed. Given the number of medical mistakes that occur every year,
it’s important to ask plenty of questions whenever you are receiving medical
care, especially the removal of an organ.
If you or a family member is having a procedure performed at a medical
facility, it’s best to make sure there is an advocate present. That’s simply a
person who is available to ask questions as necessary. Asking the right
questions might end up saving a life. You should never feel hesitant to speak
up if you think something is wrong.