One in every seven Medicare patients in hospitals succumbs to a medical error. In 1999, it was reported that 98,000 patients in hospitals across the US were dying from a medical error! Today, decades later, in times where we have access to world class medical technology and expertise, the number of deaths each year from preventable errors in hospitals has sky-rocketed to a whopping 440,000!
One in every seven Medicare patients in hospitals succumbs to a medical error. In 1999, it was reported that 98,000 patients in hospitals across the US were dying from a medical error! Today, decades later, in times where we have access to world class medical technology and expertise, the number of deaths each year from preventable errors in hospitals has sky-rocketed to a whopping 440,000!
Medical errors can happen anywhere and are not limited to just hospitals. Every year, hundreds of medical malpractice cases are filed against clinics, doctor’s offices, patients’ homes, homes for elderly, pharmacies and even nursing homes.
These medical errors cost the nation over $1 trillion each year. The errors range from minor medication errors to more severe diagnosis and lab report errors that can turn into a wormhole for an unsuspecting patient. These errors can occur during the most routine tasks such as, giving an in-patient on a salt free diet, a very high salt meal.
Most medical errors stem from the complexity of today’s health care system. However, a number of medical errors also unfold when there is a lack of communication and understanding between a patient and his doctor. Today, we take you through a comprehensive guide on how to stay alert and obtain safer care.
What You can do to Stay Safe
Research indicates that patients who take an active interest in their care tend to get better results. Take part in every decision regarding your health care. Ask your doctor about the diagnosis and how each medication prescribed will help in treating your condition. You can also use Google to get answers to your concerns (make sure the sites are credible that you are referring too). If you are not convinced with the diagnosis and prognosis that your doctor gives, do not hesitate to secure a second opinion. This will help in preventing errors.
Medication
1. If you are suffering from an underlying condition, ensure that all the doctors you are consulting with know about the medicine you are taking. This includes not just prescription drugs and OTC medicines, but also dietary supplements such as herbs and vitamins. A smart idea would be to carry your medicine in supplement vault to your doctor visits.
2. You can also ‘brown bag’ your medicines as it will help both you and your doctor talk about them and eliminate any medication related side effects that you may be suffering from. This will also help your doctor in keeping your records up to date and render you better care.
3. Intimate your doctor about any allergies or adverse reactions you have had to certain medications in the past. This will help prevent you from being prescribed with a pill that could harm you.
4. When your doctor writes a prescription for you, first read it. If you cannot read the slip, chances are that your pharmacist may struggle too. This paves way for medication errors. Ask your doctor to rewrite the prescription or have him read it out to you.
Once you have been handed out a prescription, ask your doctor to give you information on how they help you, in terms that you can understand. Points that you need to gain clarity on include:
· What is the medication for?
· How long should you be taking it?
· Should it be taken before or after meals?
· What are the side effects, you should be prepared for? And how to treat them?
· Is the medicine safe to take with your other ongoing medication?
· Whether you should follow a certain diet when on the medication?
At the Pharmacy
1. When at the pharmacy, check if the pharmacist has given you the same medicine that your doctor has prescribed. If you cannot understand or have any question regarding the directions on the packaging, ask! The labels on medicine bottles can be hard to understand at times, and it is best to clear any doubts that you may have, rather than going by the print.
2. Ask the pharmacist to suggest the best device or measuring cup to ascertain the right dosage of a liquid medicine. Do not use household teaspoons to measure your medicine. There are many special devices such as marked syringes that can come in handy to measure the right dosage.
During a Hospital Stay
1. Though you may find this awkward, politely ask all health care workers who are caring for you, if they have washed their hands. You do not have to ask them every time you see them though, you do not want to upset the people taking care of you. Unclean hands can spread infections in hospitals.
2. Before being discharged from the hospital, ask your doctor or caregiver to explain in depth the treatment plan that you will need to follow at home. It is also important to write down your follow up schedule and to check when you can resume regular activities. Receiving proper instructions from your physician will prevent an unexpected return to the emergency ward.
When Undergoing Surgery
1. Research suggests that patients tend to have better results and a faster recovery when they open the window for hospitals that have a decent amount of experience in dealing with their condition.
2. If a surgery has been planned, ensure that you talk to not just your doctor but also your surgeon on what will be done. This will give you clarity on the procedure and put all the three of you on the same page with respect to your surgery and treatment plan.
3. Receiving surgery in the wrong area is a story of the past and very rare these days. However, this can still happen. The positive news is that this is preventable. Surgeons are bound to sign their initials on the site to be operated on before making the first cut.
If you have been victimized due to a medical error, you stand a chance to file compensation for the physical and mental trauma that you underwent. Get in touch with one of the many experienced medical malpractice attorneys at Rosenberg, Minc, Falkoff, &Wolff of RMFW Law at 212-344-1000. You can get a free consultation and discuss your case details and the ways to obtain fair compensation for your losses.
And you know there has been many losses! What do you have to say? What is your side of the story? Is the hospital not listening to you? We will! Give us a call at RMFW Law and let’s schedule an appointment. We will come to you if we have to. We know this arena. We know how to win cases. We have a long list of happy clients.
