People who visit the emergency room usually do so because they think something is so seriously wrong that they can’t wait for regular office hours. Of course, there are some individuals who check into the ER without a true emergency. In a way, that second group of people have desensitized some medical professionals, or so it seems.
No matter how minor a case in the ER seems, the doctors and nurses should take the case seriously. It is all too easy to miss vital clues about potentially life-threatening cases when they already have it in their mind that the person isn’t a serious case.
Some symptoms should always be considered a medical emergency. These include things like severe pain, chest pain, trouble breathing, rectal bleeding and abdominal pain. When a person presents with any of these, there must be testing done to determine the root cause of the issue.
Failing to diagnose medical conditions like strokes, heart attacks and pulmonary embolisms can kill patients. Even appendicitis can be fatal if it isn’t treated swiftly.
One issue that ER doctors face is that they might not be able to obtain tests and test results in an efficient manner. This can mean that a person who needs immediate care isn’t able to receive it. Another issue that’s sometimes present is that the test results they get aren’t accurate. For example, imaging studies might not be read properly.
Patients who are misdiagnosed or not diagnosed in the ER can suffer serious medical issues. These individuals might opt to seek compensation for the damages they suffer if the problem was negligence or malpractice. These cases are often complex, so working with someone familiar with these cases is imperative.