Misdiagnoses affect 12 million patients each year. The fatalities from misdiagnosis complications are estimated to reach around 40 to 80 thousand deaths annually. These national trends in misdiagnoses show explicit biases against women and minorities. These outcomes...
Year: 2020
There is no shortage of potential surgical errors
You never want to learn from your medical team that you require any type of surgical procedure. However, should this happen, you need to take the appropriate action in an attempt to get your health back on track. Like most people in this situation, you may have...
You can use your mobile phone to avoid medication errors
Medical mistakes happen all the time in the hospital, and quite a few of them involve prescription medications. Both the pills that staff members hand out throughout the day and the medications administered intravenously in liquid form can do more harm than good if...
Does texting while driving open a person up to a lawsuit?
Car crashes can be life-altering and traumatic experiences, to say nothing of how incredibly expensive they often are. It can take quite some time for your life to get back to normal, especially if you or a passenger suffered serious injuries in the collision. After a...
Grief-induced procrastination can mean losing out on compensation
Losing someone you love and depend on unexpectedly can have quite a few negative consequences. Not only do you miss the company and affection of your loved one, but you also have financial concerns stemming from lost income and the expenses associated with their...
How can a doctor’s misjudgment delay cancer diagnosis?
You rely on your doctor’s expertise and judgment to protect your health. When that judgment fails you, though, it can easily delay the diagnosis of serious conditions like cancer. Those delays could allow your condition to worsen while it is left untreated. What might...
Why do pharmacists give patients the wrong medications?
When patients receive a prescription for specific medications, they typically get that prescription from a medical provider, like a doctor or surgeon. That prescription is ordered at a local pharmacy. The technician in the pharmacy may put together the order, and the...
Should you ask your surgeon more questions? Yes!
The time may come in your life when you’re faced with the challenge of deciding for or against a surgical procedure. This is a big decision, as it will impact you in a variety of ways (regardless of the path you follow). There are many ways to put your mind at ease,...
Contracting infections in a medical facility is sadly common
People go to the hospital or other inpatient medical facilities to improve their condition and recover from illnesses, not to acquire new diseases. Unfortunately, due to inadequate precautions by staff members or contaminated equipment and facilities, those who stay...
Discrimination based on weight could impact your medical care
Medical professionals may have years of schooling and have taken an oath to provide care to their patients, but that doesn't mean they're immune to human biases. In fact, those working in the medical profession may be more prone to certain kinds of discrimination than...