A study published in JAMA Cardiology shows that those who undergo noncardiac surgery may develop complications that lead to heart attacks, stroke and even death. New York residents who are hospitalized for non-heart-related surgery will want to know what’s involved in this trend; after all, more than 300 million noncardiac surgeries are performed worldwide every year.
When people seek medical care in New York, they expect health care personnel to make reasonable treatment choices. The case of a 30-year-old man who ended up losing his right arm illustrates the extent of damage that can occur when medical errors take place. The outcome of arbitration produced a settlement of $3.34 million for his pain, suffering, medical expenses and the compromised ability to earn a living.
When it’s suspected that a New York patient has interstitial lung disease (ILD), diagnosis typically involves invasive techniques such as checking a tissue sample and performing a bronchoscopy with specialized instruments to view airways. According to a study specific to ILD and similar pulmonary conditions, routine rheumatology assessments may minimize the need for more invasive diagnostic procedures in some instances. Researchers also believe diagnosis accuracy may be improved with adjustments to testing processes.
If medical errors were classified as a cause of death, they would be ranked below heart disease and cancer as the third leading cause of death in the U.S. A 2016 study in the BMJ estimated that 250,000 deaths occur each year in this nation because of medical errors. New York residents should know that many of these errors grow out of simple communication issues.
When New York men are diagnosed with prostate cancer, doctors might also use a test known as prostate-specific membrane antigen positron emission tomography imaging to determine whether the cancer has metastasized. When PSMA is detected as a highly expressive enzyme in tissue, it can be an indication that the cancer is spreading.
People in New York typically approach eye doctors when they are experiencing eye pain or vision problems. Time constraints on doctors and their failure to think about alternative diagnoses could result in diagnostic mistakes when patients present with symptoms somewhat out of the ordinary. An analysis of 122 patients diagnosed with acute optic neuritis and referred to a university neuro-ophthalmology clinic determined that 59.8 percent of them had received the wrong diagnosis.
Patients in New York and throughout the country could be exposed to a wide range of medication errors. These mistakes could result in a worsened condition or other negative consequences. However, not all types of errors are accounted for unless there is an adverse event. For instance, many medical offices and hospitals use electronic health records. One problem that can occur is ordering medication for the wrong person.
Some older people in New York who are in the early stages of age-related macular degeneration may not be properly diagnosed. A study by researchers at the University of Alabama, Birmingham that was published in “JAMA Ophthalmology” found that one quarter of patients who had signs of the condition were not diagnosed.
The National Pharmacy Association has released its quarterly report on patient safety errors among community pharmacists. The three-month period between April and June 2018 has seen a startling 64 percent increase in the number of such errors compared to the previous quarter. Patients in New York will want to know what some of the factors are.
New York readers know that all surgeries come with risks. Unfortunately, one of those risks can be the surgeon who performs the procedure. For example, an Iowa woman has filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against a South Dakota doctor for allegedly removing a healthy kidney during a botched surgery.
