Hospitals are typically the place people will go when they have been in an accident or are concerned about severe pain. These patients fully expect hospital personnel to take whatever steps are necessary to relieve their pain and speed them on the road to recovery. New York residents who believe they have received substandard medical care may be interested in a recent jury award to the family of a New Mexico woman who was the victim of hospital negligence and died as a result.
Study finds many patients misdiagnosed with asthma
Misdiagnosis is a serious medical mistake and happens more often than patients think. There are many different medical conditions that are commonly misdiagnosed by physicians in the United States, but new studies show that misdiagnosis is common among asthma patients.
Girl declared brain dead after tonsil removal
For many young people, having tonsils removed has become a routine surgery that most children come to expect they will have done. Although some doctors might caution on the use of surgery to solve problems related to illness, these surgeries can be risky, no matter how routine they might seem.
Johnson & Johnson settles some faulty hip implant lawsuits
When you go into the hospital to have a hip transplant, the last thing you expect is to be in more pain than when you arrived. Unfortunately, that has been the case for many Americans who received metal-on-metal hip implants made by Johnson & Johnson's DePuy unit.
Medical errors common during patient transfers
Being in the hospital can be a scary experience for many people. Whether you are in the hospital for a routine procedure or you are trying to get your unknown medical condition diagnosed and treated, you usually don't think about the impact a medical error would have on your health.
How does your hospital rank? You'll probably never know
Most patients don't plan on going to the hospital or have a long time to consider which hospital to go to during an emergency situation. In other cases, a person's health insurance dictates which hospital they can go to. Hospitals are supposed to safely care for patients and hopefully result in the patient leaving healthier than when they arrived. Unfortunately, this isn't always the case.
Patient care different across New England based on doc preference
Dartmouth researchers recently conducted a study across three New England states. The researchers found that patient care varied greatly in pediatric patients for similar issues. The care that patients received was often determined by a doctors preference, and not entirely on the needs of the patient. Patients in some geographic areas had more emergency room visits than others. Some had their tonsils taken out more frequently, and there was a large variance across the region in how tests were conducted.
Religious directives at many hospitals threaten patient safety
According to ABC News, one out of every six Americans receive care at a hospital that adheres to certain religious doctrines which have led to patient harm in the past. Like physicians, hospitals have a duty of care to adhere to certain medically recognized standards when treating patients. If a facility fails to honor its patient duty of care, it may be held accountable for hospital negligence. When religious doctrine and patient standards of care collide, patients may suffer serious consequences justified by tenants of a faith they may or may not practice.
Robots and surgery don't mix: da Vinci robots may harm patients
Many patients undergo surgical operations every day in New York hospitals. Surgery can be very risky for patients, especially depending on the specific procedure and overall health of the patient. Surgical improvements continue to be made, including the use of robotic surgical devices.
Lawsuit filed against New York hospital after patient loses legs
A New York woman has filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against Winthrop University Hospital after suffering serious complications from blood poisoning and gangrene. The lawsuit claims that the surgeon made a mistake while trying to remove an ectopic pregnancy that resulted in the patient losing her legs and suffer from hearing loss.
