Medical Malpractice

According to a study appearing in the Journal of the American Medical Association, surgical errors can greatly increase the profit margin for the hospitals where they are committed. The research was conducted using data from more than 34,000 surgical patients who were operated on in selected Texas hospitals in 2010. The study looked at Medicare patients, privately […]

March 4 through March 10 is National Patient Safety Awareness Week. The initiative is led by the National Patient Safety Foundation and focuses on an issue that affects hundreds of thousands of Americans every year. According to the Patient Safety in American Hospitals Study, conducted by HealthGrades Inc., there were more than 200,000 potentially preventable deaths suffered […]

A Pennsylvania study has revealed an increase in the number of errors associated with the use of electronic health records. Between 2004 and 2011, hospitals in that state reported 3,099 total incidents related to faulty electronic health records. Of those, 1,142 occurred in 2011. That was nearly double the total reported for 2010. The data did indicate […]

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently released a study showing a significant rise in the number of emergencies during delivery and severe complications in the days after delivery from 1999 to 2009. Life-threatening complications during delivery rose 75 percent while severe post-delivery complications more than doubled. The lead author of the study referred to […]

A survey sponsored by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America looked into the treatment recommended by primary care and emergency physicians for anaphylaxis. The survey identified “likely deficiencies” in the knowledge of how to treat the condition and keep it from recurring. Anaphylaxis is an allergic reaction that reaches life-threatening severity. It sets on quickly, […]

Leapfrog Group is a nonprofit organization based in Washington D.C. that helps employers and other health care purchasers by gathering and disseminating data about the quality of available health care. The group recently released a report card that identifies which hospitals present the most hazardous environments for patients in terms of preventable medical errors and other injuries. […]

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality is seeking approval for a new method by which patients can report medical mistakes. Federal officials explained that unreported medical errors are a lost opportunity to make health care safer. Unless hospitals choose to report their own errors, information that could be used to reduce infections, improve surgical practices and […]

According to the Institute of Medicine, medical mistakes cost the U.S. health care system between $17 and $29 billion a year. It estimates that medical errors kill nearly 2,000 people per week. New technology and, potentially, new attitudes among rising doctors could greatly reduce medical malpractice and make the health care system safer for everyone, according to […]

A new study has analyzed medical errors affecting children who have been hospitalized. The medical error rate for children who suffer a chronic health condition was significantly higher than that for children who do not. The result of the study was expected, as chronic health conditions are likely to force a child to remain hospitalized for longer […]

A consumer advocacy group known as Public Citizen claims that medical malpractice payments in 2011 were a record low. The group additionally claims that medical malpractice payouts have been decreasing for eight consecutive years. The data provided by the group was meant to demonstrate that malpractice payments are not to blame for the rising cost of health […]

A study of orthopedic surgical residents in two Boston hospitals analyzed the impact fatigue had on performance, as well as the frequency with which new surgeons worked while tired. The study participants averaged 5.3 hours of sleep per day. When the results of the residents were compared to a group of well-rested residents, it was […]

A 2009 quality-improvement program conducted at Children’s Hospital in Colorago identified misplaced orders as the second most common reason why care is provided to the wrong patient. Misplaced orders have been decreased as a result of the program, dropping from 12 incidents in 2010 to 3 incidents one year later. The quality-improvement plan involved a change in the computer […]

A new study in Health Affairs has compiled the survey results of more than 1,800 physicians concerning how forthright they are with their patients. After a serious medical error or other form of medical malpractice, victims may not be informed of the truth by their doctors. The study is contrasted with a 2010 telephone survey that […]

A senior health care official with the Obama administration believes that the medical field has something to learn from the aviation industry in terms of safety. By focusing on safety and efficiency, he believes that medical malpractice can be drastically reduced while simultaneously controlling the spiraling costs of health care. Too much care can be as much […]

One of the primary risks of surgery is the possibility of a post-operative infection. Medical malpractice occurs when health care facilities fail to maintain proper standards of care. In the case of infection-control problems, the situation is severe in at least one type of Illinois facility. Same-day surgery centers are growing in popularity in the health care […]

A good rating from patients may hide serious flaws in the care provided at a hospital. A recent review of Medicare data has shown that many of the hospitals that received top marks from patients had a higher rate of death among patients suffering heart attacks, heart failure or pneumonia. Victims of medical malpractice may confuse friendly […]

We all rely on hospitals to maintain and improve our health, but a new government study reveals that hospitals often represent dangerous environments where patients are frequently harmed by preventable errors. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has released a report titled, “Adverse Events in Hospitals: National Incidence Among Medicare Beneficiaries.” The objective […]

A recent study released by the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center finds that administering nitric oxide gas to infants born prior to 34 weeks may not provide a health benefit in most cases. Babies born pre-term are regularly given nitrous oxide gas in an effort to improve survival rates and avoid disabilities and related complications such […]