Medical malpractice is the third leading cause of death in America, according to John Hopkins Medicine. This has resulted in just 34% of the nation trusting medical providers. Taking steps to avoid being a medical malpractice victim can be tricky when your life is in someone else’s hands. But it’s important you’re aware of the most common types of medical malpractice so you can protect yourself and your loved ones.
Incorrect diagnosis
It’s estimated that 33% of medical malpractice claims are due to misdiagnosis. Studies have found that around 0.22% of hospitalized patients and 0.81% of patients in primary care either lose their lives or experience permanent morbidity as a result of a misdiagnosis. So why do doctors misdiagnose patients so often? One reason is the lack of time they get to spend with patients. Mobius MD reports that doctors spend an average of just 18 minutes with each patient which is not enough time to go through the patient’s medical background, medications, and current symptoms.
Surgical errors
One study found that a minimum of 4,000 surgical errors happen every year in America. The most common errors made are operating on the wrong site, performing the incorrect procedure, operating on the wrong patient, and leaving foreign objects in the patient. Surgical errors are particularly dangerous as they can lead to physical and emotional damage. Most patients will need help to repair their lives following an event like this. A medical malpractice attorney will be used to complex surgical error cases. They’re also able to help patients deal with the pain, suffering, and loss that typically goes hand and hand with surgical errors.
Mistakes with meds
Every year, at least 10,000 medication mistakes are reported to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Medication mistakes can cause many problems including hospitalization, birth defects, disabilities, and even death. Before any medication is given to a patient in the hospital, the drug and dose should be checked by the prescribing physician and another medic to ensure it’s correct. Doctors also need to ensure they’re using a computer for medication labels rather than handwriting information. But more than anything, they need to be fully aware of all medications the patient is currently taking to prevent drugs from interacting badly with each other.
Changes needed
One of the main reasons why medical malpractice happens so often in America is doctor burnout. 42% of doctors are currently burned out, according to Etactics. This is likely due to the long hours they work – between 50 and 52 per week. Doctors also spend a lot of time doing admin. Physicians now spend more than 15.5 hours every week completing paperwork. Changes needed include giving doctors more time off so they can recuperate and administrative tasks need to be made simpler and less time-consuming.
Medical malpractice rates are sky-high in America and are putting the lives of millions of patients at risk. It’s important you understand these types of issues and work closely with doctors to prevent them from happening.
