4 reasons your doctor doesn’t listen
You’re obsessing over your health issues, even before you go to the doctor. You never thought much about these things when you were younger, but now you’re in your 50s and you know how important it is to pay attention to your health.
Did your doctor hurt you?
You went to your doctor because of a little ache that was getting in the way of your happiness, or preventing you from doing your job at the law office where you work. You did everything the doctor said for the headaches and the cramps, but now you’re suffering far worse than before.
Should you sue the doctor for your baby’s birth injuries?
When parents are faced with an infant who suffered injuries just before or during the birth process, the future is uncertain. Some birth injuries are minor and will fade quickly, leaving no lasting effects. Others, however, can be disabling and incapacitating for the duration of your child’s life.
Mortality rates better with women doctors
A recent study published by JAMA Internal Medicine sheds some light into how the gender of a doctor may play a role in the quality of health care for patients in New York and across the U.S. The information suggests that patients treated by female physicians have a greater chance of living after being discharged from a hospital. Additionally, the study revealed that patient deaths are higher when they are treated by male doctors.
Resident shift proposal may increase patient risk
A proposal regarding an increase in shift hours for new residents at hospitals in California and across the country is being pushed by a doctors’ training group. The change from 16 to 28 hours appear to be good in terms of preparing new residents for full time work. However, it could create dangerous situations for patients who need doctors to be alert during urgent times. There is prevailing evidence that has indicated that lengthy work shifts and exhaustion are primary factors of doctors’ errors as well as car accidents.
Does defensive medicine really prevent litigation?
Most people are familiar with the Hippocratic Oath by which all doctors and medical professionals live. But a doctor’s duty to make the best judgments possible and to do no harm is often mired by the looming threat that if they fail to meet these expectations, they could face litigation as a result.
Medical errors behind thousands of deaths annually
The BMJ has published a study indicating that medical errors result in between 200,000 and 400,000 deaths annually across the United States. The BMJ estimate took into account diagnostic errors, communications breakdowns, systems failures, inadequate skill and poor judgment. The focus of the study was fatalities that occur secondary to a medical error, and many occurred in New York.
Doctor claims he lied in court to protect partner
New York residents may be interested to learn that roughly 20 years ago, a surgeon from South Dakota lied during a medical malpractice case. The doctor was called to provide testimony that would establish that his colleague was a skilled surgeon. The case in question involved a patient of that colleague who suffered a stroke after undergoing a procedure performed by the defendant in the case.
Why medical errors occur
When New York residents seek medical care, they put a great deal of trust in their physicians. The expectation is that the doctor is the expert who will make the best decisions possible to preserve the patient’s life and health. Unfortunately, some doctors make mistakes that can have a devastating impact on a patient’s well-being.
Tracking surgeon errors along with progress
Surgical residents in New York hospitals are typically evaluated by checklists and hours worked, but a John Hopkins study found that tracking errors could be just as important as monitoring progress. When assessing future orthopedic surgeons, training models focus on volume instead of quality.