When patients sign consent forms prior to surgery, they often don’t read the fine print. Even if they do, they can’t imagine every scenario that would fall under the things to which they’ve given their consent. In some cases, these might involve undefined procedures and exams for “educational and training purposes,” particularly at teaching hospitals. These procedures sometimes included exams of “intimate” areas that had nothing to do with the surgical procedure the patient was undergoing. As doctors and nurses in training started speaking up about their discomfort in doing these exams on pati ..read more

Cyberattacks, also known as ransomware attacks, are disrupting operations in all kinds of businesses and other organizations. Hackers can demand hundreds of thousands of dollars and more in “ransom” to give these organizations back access to, and control over, their systems. In the meantime, however, hackers can access and release what was intended to be secured information – anything from private customer and employee data to financial information and trade secrets. Hospitals are particularly popular targets for these attacks. Besides having a considerable amount of private patient digital da ..read more

Patient safety is a concept that aims to prevent and minimize risks of harm that occur to patients as they’re receiving medical care. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines patient safety as “the absence of preventable harm to a patient and reduction of risk of unnecessary harm associated with health care to an acceptable minimum.” The concept and real-world practice of patient safety encompass a wide range of protocols, policies, approaches and cultures designed to protect patients from preventable injuries and to improve the overall standard of care within health care settings. Key elem ..read more

A hospital discharge is a process a patient goes through when leaving a hospital after treatment. It involves several steps to ensure a patient is discharged safely. These include a healthcare provider confirming the patient no longer needs to be in the hospital to receive care, explaining the paperwork thoroughly to the patient, reviewing medications and setting follow-up appointments. Premature discharge is when a patient is released before they are ready to leave a medical setting or when all the required steps are not followed. Here is what to know about it: Why would a hospital discharge ..read more

Healthcare cognitive bias refers to the systematic ways in which the thinking and judgment of healthcare professionals can be influenced, leading to deviations from good decision-making or best practices. Put another way, it’s a phenomenon in which a healthcare provider’s sense of reality can be impacted in ways that can ultimately harm patients.  These biases can arise from a variety of sources, including personal experiences, professional training and the cultural and institutional environment in which healthcare providers operate. Cognitive biases can impact all aspects of healthcare ..read more

We live in an era where advanced medicine is helping people live longer, healthier lives. Diseases that at one time would have meant certain death, can be managed with a daily pill. We look to our physicians to recommend pharmaceuticals that have been thoroughly researched and deemed safe for use. But what if the harm caused by the medicine outweighs the good? Furthermore, what if the pharmaceutical company knew of the danger but continued recommending it to healthcare providers? Can drug companies be charged with medical malpractice? Holding big pharma accountable A medical malpractice suit i ..read more

Medical malpractice happens for numerous different reasons. In some cases, doctors just make negligent mistakes. They could also make an incorrect diagnosis or miss a diagnosis that they should’ve made. Many different types of medical malpractice can cause serious harm to the patient. It can be helpful, however, to look at some of the root causes and the reasons why these adverse events take place. When you do this, you see that communication errors are at the heart of many medical malpractice cases. Patient harm can often be directly traced to poor communication tactics at some level. How thi ..read more

Different factors contribute to medical malpractice, including understaffing. Staffing shortage is an issue affecting several departments in healthcare facilities. Even though the nursing department is widely discussed, rightfully so, some hospitals understaff physicians as well. Here is how understaffing can lead to medical malpractice: Insufficient care Patients deserve sufficient care. But this can be impossible if a healthcare facility is understaffed. For example, an expectant mother in a labor room should be closely monitored to identify potential issues affecting delivery. The baby’s he ..read more

When experiencing unfamiliar and uncomfortable symptoms, you look to your health care provider to help you understand what is happening to you. However, medical researchers found that approximately 795,000 patients “continue to die or become permanently disabled each year” in the United States due to a misdiagnosis or a wrong diagnosis. Health care providers throughout the country are misdiagnosing patients. As a result, the patient receives the wrong treatment or delayed treatment, and the consequences are detrimental. Why do misdiagnoses happen? Every medical condition comes with a variety o ..read more

When you visit the doctor’s office, you trust that the healthcare provider will properly diagnose your illness or injury and administer the right treatment so you can get back on your feet and carry on with your life. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for a doctor to get it wrong.  Medical misdiagnosis can result in significant complications going forward. If you develop complications following a misdiagnosis, you may be eligible for financial restitution through a medical malpractice claim. But how exactly do medical misdiagnoses happen? Understanding medical misdiagnosis  Basically ..read more