Common Medical Errors in Hospitals
Written by Cooper & Friedman PLLC on May 8, 2020
Hospitals are places where people go to recover. Patients place their trust and life in the hands of medical professionals hoping to overcome their illness. While medical experts do their best to help patients, they aren’t infallible, and medical errors do occur.
Sometimes they slip up and make mistakes or misdiagnose people, which can lead to fatalities. In fact, medical errors are the third leading cause of death in the United States, killing up to 250,000 people each year. Here’s a look at some of the most common errors:
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Misdiagnosis
Misdiagnosis is one of the most common medical errors. Sometimes test results aren’t easy to interpret and doctors make mistakes. A treatment plan often includes mediation or surgery that can cause considerable harm to a patient, especially if they don’t need the treatment. Even if the medicines don’t cause harm, misdiagnosis can delay treatment of the root cause.
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Delayed Diagnosis
In many cases, time is of the essence and a delayed diagnosis can lead to severe complications. If a doctor is hesitant to make a decision or provide treatment, it is best to seek a second opinion immediately.
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Error in Medication
Medicines aren’t harmless. A wrong dose can cause serious health issues, and an adverse reaction can even lead to death. Medical professionals take a patient’s history, their current state of health, and other such factors into account before prescribing a medicine.
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Infection
There’s always the risk of infection when you’re at a hospital. Most establishments take proper care to ensure all accessible areas are safe and hygienic. However, infection is still a significant risk that can lead to fatalities. Medical professionals have to remain vigilant and address hospital-acquired infections quickly if they arise.
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Medical Devices
A medical professional will use several devices during the treatment process. Things like hip implants, blood clot filters, hernia mesh, and other such devices can malfunction and cause complications. For example, a mesh breaking down in the body can lead to severe infection and even damage your blood vessels.
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Unnecessary Treatment
Sometimes doctors recommend treatments that a patient doesn’t need. For example, a doctor may recommend and perform brain surgery on a perfectly healthy patient and force them to deal with lifelong consequences. Sometimes surgeons perform a procedure on the wrong part of the body. There are even cases where miscommunication leads to doctors performing procedures intended for some other patient. Such errors are more common than most people realize.
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Unnecessary Tests
Many people consider tests harmless, but they can cause health problems as well. CT scans increase the risk of cancer, dyes from CTs or MRIs can damage kidneys, and drawing blood can cause infection. Invasive tests should only happen if doctors see no other alternative.
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Poor Coordination
Modern hospitals have doctors on rotation, so patients receive treatment from multiple professionals at the same time. One doctor may prescribe a specific medicine in the morning, while another may come by in the evening and prescribe something else. This can leads to a disorganized treatment plan or even miscommunication. A patient may bear the consequences of such chaotic care.
Some of these outcomes include going home before sufficient recovery, missed warning signs, and inadequate supervision of new staff members. All of these situations can cause more complications or place a patient at serious risk. Patients and their relatives must always be vigilant to protect their interests.
As an experienced personal injury law firm, we’ve defended the rights of clients with hundreds of different types of injuries including medical malpractice injuries. Learn more about our law firm, or set up a free case consultation with one of our experienced injury attorneys by calling 502-459-7555 now.