Surgical errors place lives in danger
Surgical errors caused by time constraints and medical negligence are prevalent in the U.S., and may put lives in danger. People who prep for a surgical procedure in New York or anywhere throughout the United States put their lives in the hands of trusted medical professionals. From anesthesiologists to surgeons and surgical technicians, a medical […]
An easy way to prevent dangerous newborn mixups
When hospital patients receive medication, monitoring or other treatment meant for someone else, the results can be harmful or even fatal for either patient – the one who received the treatment in error as well as the one who did not get the treatment that he or she needed. Newborns can be particularly at risk […]
How do I know if I need a second opinion?
New York residents who may not feel comfortable with a diagnosis should learn when and how to seek second opinions. It would be a wonderful thing if people could have completed trust in the care they receive from doctors, nurses, surgeons and other health care providers or facilities. But, sadly, this is not possible. Errors […]
New York hospitals fall far behind in latest national rankings
In the latest nationwide hospital rankings, New York’s hospitals have fallen from 40th place to 47th. A recently released ranking of hospitals across the country shows that New York’s hospitals are falling far behind in terms of patient safety. The highly anticipated report by the Leapfrog Group ranked New York in 47th place, down from […]
Tech Tools Help Surgical Teams Detect Retained Surgical Devices
In 2008, a 47-year-old man had a cancerous kidney successfully removed. However, surgeons left two 11 x 14 inch surgical towels inside him – an error that led to serious medical complications, multiple surgeries and more than a year of recovery time. According to the National Quality Forum, this kind of surgical mistake, known as […]
Are Patients Really Providing Consent that is Informed?
In many circumstances, before doctors and other medical professionals can provide patients with a course of treatment or other procedure, it is necessary (even required) to obtain the informed consent of the patients. One common way for medical professionals to obtain and document that the patient’s consent has been given for the procedure is by […]
Insufficient education could be to blame for rising maternal death rates
Labor complications continue to cause serious – sometimes fatal – injury to new moms. A recent study published in The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing revealed huge gaps in the knowledge provided to new moms about potential post-delivery complications. These complications, sometimes brought on by high blood pressure, reactions to anesthesia, blood clots or heavy […]
Patients harmed by increase in medical treatments
Recently, doctors and other medical experts have been questioning whether Americans have been receiving excessive amounts of medical treatment. At first glance, additional laboratory tests and prescriptions for medications may seem like a benefit, ensuring the safety of the patient. Unfortunately, unnecessary treatments can sometimes result in negative, unwanted consequences. When physicians practice defensive medicine, […]
The Breast Cancer Misdiagnosis Problem
On a hot day in August 2009, a Dover, Ohio, woman first noticed a large knot on her right breast. The knot grew after the hospital misdiagnosed her with a fibrous cyst. Sometime later, doctors said it was an infection. More time passed until she eventually had an ultrasound and mammogram. This was when she […]
Bed rails meant to keep patients safe may cause more harm than good
Parents of infants have long been concerned with their children rolling in their sleep and falling out bed during the night. Consequently, bed rails were created and, later, bumpers took the place of rails, potentially to prevent the risk of infants becoming stuck in the rails. Then, it was determined that bumpers actually caused more […]
