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Huge Fine Against NY Contractor Gets Upheld

A New York contractor was fined recently by OSHA for serious violations.  The company reportedly had workers on scaffolding for a 23-story hotel project.  The contractor did not provide adequate fall protection, despite the fact that the employees were up as high as 26 feet. Accordingly, OSHA fined the company $249,900 for the serious violation. […]

Hormone linked to common ovarian disease

Polycystic ovary syndrome develops in roughly 12 percent of women and can begin during the teenage years. Although the disease is incurable, proper diagnosis can allow New York young women to manage their symptoms and limit complications such as type-2 diabetes, fertility problems and excessive hair growth. PCOS is a disorder of the endocrine system that causes irregular menstruation cycles and enlarges the ovaries with fluid.

Weighing liability vs. informed consent

New York residents may be interested to know that according to research, women aren’t necessarily at a higher risk for complication whether they undergo or open hysterectomies. This was published in August 2016 in the Journal of the American Medical Association, and it contradicts predictions that women would suffer if morcellation was not used. Specifically, groups such as American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology have defended the practice.

Physician bias can play a role in misdiagnoses

Unconscious assumptions, also known as cognitive biases, can influence how a physician evaluates a patient. When someone in New York expresses a medical complaint, the physician might base decisions on that person’s race, gender, social class or sexual orientation. Factors like appearance, whether the person reminds the physician of someone else or the person’s manner of speech could all cause the physician to make a diagnosis based on assumptions instead of clinical facts.

Good communication can prevent misdiagnosis

Misdiagnosis is a very common medical problem in New York hospitals, and it is a problem that can have fatal consequences. Every year, 5 percent of hospital patients in the U.S., roughly 12 million people, are misdiagnosed. This is a medical error that is more common than mistakes with prescription drugs.

Anesthesiologist-led protocols and wrong-sided blocks

New York patients who undergo nerve blocks in connection with a surgical procedure may be interested in knowing more about the implementation of an anesthesiologist-led protocol that could prevent a wrong-sided block from occurring. Though not as catastrophic as wrong-sided surgery, complications can sometimes be connected with the administration of a nerve block, which is also an invasive procedure.

How to improve MS diagnosis

A group of 24 researchers studied 110 patients who were misdiagnosed with multiple sclerosis to better understand the reasons why. Of those in the study, 33 percent went 10 years or longer without a diagnosis, and 72 percent took medication for a condition that they didn’t have. This is problematic because some MS medications can have serious side effects, including brain infections, on patients in New York and around the country.

Survey shows heavy reliance on inhalers for asthma patients

New York residents who suffer from asthma are likely to use rescue inhalers on a regular basis. A study by Health Union shows that people may rely too heavily on rescue inhalers, and recommends that asthma patients consider having their condition re-evaluated if they find themselves dependent on their inhalers to get through their days.

Medical errors in the emergency room

Several hundred thousand New Yorkers head to emergency rooms every year with the expectation of getting better from treatment. Unfortunately, medical errors sometimes happen in emergency room settings, resulting in permanent injuries to or the deaths of some patients. If you have been harmed by medical mistakes that happened in the emergency room, you may be able to recover damages for compensation of your losses.