When people go to the hospital, they usually do not think twice about the possibility that a medical professional may make a mistake that could cost them the health they are trying to preserve. Residents of Cook, Illinois, should understand that medical errors happen and how harmful these errors can be to patients. Many of these medical errors will end up as the basis of a medical malpractice lawsuit. What is the most common kind of medical error resulting in a medical malpractice claim? According to a recent study, it is missed diagnoses.
Study reveals most common medical errors
Robotic surgery may be too popular for its own good
Sometimes people get caught up in trends without knowing the potential effects of the new item. That may be what has happened with robotic surgery, a relatively new realm for health care. According to data, there were 367,000 robotic surgeries last year. Compare that to the 114,000 that occurred throughout the U.S. in 2008 and the growing trend is easily visible. The problem is that physicians are reporting issues with the only robotic system approved by the FDA, some contributing to the deaths of patients. Some have filed medical malpractice cases because of the consequences of these problems.
Medical mistakes cause costs and risk to rise
When a person gets sick, friends and loved ones may ask them to seek medical attention. But some people refuse to do so, often because of the costs of procedures and the disjointed communication system seen in the healthcare industry. This poor communication can result in missed diagnoses and other medical errors that can leave a patient in a worse condition than when they initially sought help. In turn, these mistakes increase the costs associated with the healthcare system by wasting time and resources, the costs of which are passed onto patients and insurance companies.
Surgical mistakes made on a weekly basis, study says
A new study is reporting that thousands of surgical mistakes are made on an annual basis in the U.S. This may leave some patients in Chicago wary of an upcoming surgical procedure or curious about operations that have occurred in the past. Such surgical errors can cause complications that range from temporary injuries to death.
Costs per patient higher in younger doctors: why?
A study recently conducted by the RAND Corporation has many groups in Illinois and elsewhere considering the costs of health care. According to the results, doctors with less experience are more likely to create higher costs for insurers and possibly patients.
Meningitis suits may hinge on legal approach
A recent outbreak of meningitis has been associated with contaminated steroid shots. The drug-mixing pharmacy that is allegedly behind the outbreak is New England Compounding Center and it has already been targeted by several lawsuits from all over the country. According to reports, almost 300 people have been infected due to the medical errors of the company and health regulators believe that as many as 14,000 people have been exposed to the contaminated steroids. This means that some in Illinois may have been subjected to the shots.
It can take a lot to get a doctor's license revoked
The recent revocation of a cosmetic surgeon's license has some in Illinois and the rest of the country wondering what it takes for a physician to have her or his license to practice medicine removed. According to reports, the years that the cosmetic surgeon spent practicing were filled with medical malpractice suits -- 40 lawsuits to be exact. Yet, the man was allowed to keep practicing.
Malpractice can deprive newborns of oxygen, cause brain damage
Illinois couples that are expecting a child have a lot on their plate. Plans are made for the arrival of the child, classes are taken to better understand the process of birth, rooms are painted, furniture is purchased, clothes are bought, and diapers are stockpiled. Some parents may even start a college fund or perhaps begin considering what preschool they'll attend.
31 patients infected with Hepatitis C by 'serial infector'
The FBI is investigating a former hospital lab technician who allegedly abused his position by infecting patients with Hepatitis C. As more is learned about this case of the "serial infector," residents of Illinois and elsewhere are concerned that they also may have been infected with this deadly virus. The man has since been indicted in federal court for fraudulently acquiring a controlled substance and consumer product tampering in the 31 known cases of Hepatitis C traced back to him.
Insufficient surgical clip warnings lead to fatalities
Citizens in the state of Illinois who are thinking about being kidney donors to friends or family members may want to take notice of the following story.
