When people seek medical treatment, they do so with faith that everything goes well. Yet, medical errors do happen.
A recent study revealed that the 3rd-leading cause of death in the U.S. is a medical error. It is a form of medical malpractice, following heart disease and cancer.
When people seek medical treatment, they do so with faith that everything goes well. Yet, medical errors do happen.
A recent study revealed that the 3rd-leading cause of death in the U.S. is a medical error. It is a form of medical malpractice, following heart disease and cancer.
There are studies involving wrongful death from medical errors. But the results are incomplete, simply because the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) depend on medical billing codes to ascertain the patient’s cause of death.
This method by the CDC does not uncover medical errors. Worse, these events were not even tracked.
6 Most Common Causes of Medical Errors
Again, the reliance of the CDC on billing codes results in the lack of substantial data that may help address this issue. The reason why it can be challenging to collect medical error data is that the medical profession maintains a wall of silence around it.
Here are the 6 common reasons that lead to medical errors:
1. Diagnostic Errors
Underdiagnosis or misdiagnosis represents 40,000 to 80,000 deaths per year. Quite common in primary care settings, this is when doctors fail to:
- Order tests
- Interpret test results correctly
- Follow up with patients or
- Refer to specialists
2. Medication Errors
Patients may receive a drug that causes allergies, or they may get too much medication. Also, they may receive the wrong medication due to an error in the storage.
3. Delayed Treatment
According to health statistics, delayed treatment is the 3rd most common medical error. Often, it involves physicians designating a benign diagnosis to a severe illness. Consequently, due to readmission and additional treatment, patients face more healthcare costs and higher mortality rates.
4. Understaffed Hospitals
Hospitals in the U.S. are often understaffed, which results in physicians ordering backlogs. For this reason, those who enter medicine with noble intentions have no choice but to make hasty decisions. And oftentimes, these rushed decision-making situations are disadvantageous for the patient.
5. Surgical Errors
Common examples of surgical errors include anesthesia errors, accidental hemorrhage, and treating the wrong body part. A report indicates that around 4,000 surgical errors happen each year.
6. Healthcare-acquired Infections
In terms of hospital admissions, a healthcare-acquired infection is the leading cause of death among patients. It is often the result of poor sanitation processes in hospitals and is considered negligence.
Don’t Suffer in Silence. Hire a Medical Malpractice Lawyer, NYC
To avoid illness and injury due to medical malpractice requires vigilance on your part. If you think something’s not right, get involved and take the matter to a medical care advocate. Everyone has the right to receive effective medical treatment.
A medical malpractice lawsuit is your best course of action if you don’t see any improvement in your ordeal. If you have any suspicion of a medical error, it is crucial to speak to a medical malpractice attorney to ascertain your rights.
To request a FREE consultation with an experienced Medical Negligence Lawyer in New York, call Rosenberg, Minc, Falkoff & Wolff, LLP today at 212-344-1000 or contact us online for a free and confidential consultation.
