Posts for the 'Medical Malpractice' Category
Tips to reduce the risk of misdiagnosis malpractice
Many medical misdiagnosis lawsuits are directly attributed to a competent doctor who simply failed to give their full time and attention to the patient they were treating. Disorganization, trying to treat too many patients too quickly or simply being lazy can cause doctors to miss critical symptoms or signals of treatable problems.
Mother’s day campaign for better care at ManorCare Nursing Homes
On Sunday, when families throughout the United States went to visit their mother’s in ManorCare nursing homes for Mother’s Day, they were greeted with a carnation and information calling them to take action to help improve the quality of nursing home care. ManorCare, which was recently purchased by a private equity fund, has failed to fulfill promises made last year to provide quality care and has seen sharp increases in the number of care deficiencies at many of their homes.
>>INFORMATION: Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect
Cosmetic surgery malpractice leads to kidney failure
A new report from the CDC highlights the risks of cosmetic surgery medical malpractice. Three women who thought they were being given a soft-tissue filler injection at a cosmetic clinic recently ended up suffering kidney failure, resulting in hospitalization and dialysis treatment. The CDC has cautioned consumers to be aware of the risks associated with cosmetic procedures and to make sure that the practitioners who perform such procedures are licensed.
Federal nursing home information site to include identification of worst performing facilities
The federal government has now made it easier for families to identify some of the worst nursing homes in American while they are researching which facility should be trusted to care for their loved one. Last year, the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) compiled a list of the worst performing nursing homes in the United States, based on inspection results. This nursing home information will now be integrated into a searchable database on a federal website.
Nursing home abuse at the hands of residents who are prior sex offenders
NBC’s Today Show featured a report last week about a disturbing reality in many nursing homes. Sexual offenders and other elderly residents are often placed together in nursing homes, with no additional monitoring, warning or separation to help reduce the risk of abuse. The Today Show highlighted the story of an elderly woman who was raped in a nursing home by a man with a long record of sexual abuse.
Medical malpractice resulted in 238,337 wrongful deaths among Medicare patients
According to an analysis of data involving U.S. Medicare patients, medical malpractice incidents between 2004 and 2006 resulted in 238,337 wrongful deaths. Preventable medical mistakes cost Medicare $8.8 billion and caused approximately 1.1 million unnecessary injuries. Researchers point out that many of these deaths and serious injuries could have been avoided if all hospitals had followed the best practices of the top performing facilities in the country.
Holding hospitals accountable for medical mistakes
In an effort to hold hospitals responsible for the burden of medical expenses associated with common mistakes made during the course of treatment, health insurer WellPoint has said that they will no longer pay for certain types of preventable errors. The insurer indicates that the move was devised to spur improvement in hospital care, which can make a difference in peoples lives.
Cerebral Palsy Summer Camps
As summer nears, parents of children with cerebral palsy may become concerned that their child will regress or lose some of the skills they developed during the school year. Cerebral palsy summer camps are offered in many places throughout the country to help enhance skills and provide a higher level of confidence for children impacted by the motor disability.
Nursing home restraints could create more problems than they solve.
The use of nursing home restraints is a common practice at many nursing homes throughout the United States. However, some facilities excessively use restraining devices not only to prevent residents from injuring themselves, but also as a form of punishment or as a matter of convenience. Due to concerns about the physical and emotional injuries which can be caused by nursing home restraints, the use has declined 40% in recent years, and many believe it should drop even further with better methods being implemented to protect residents.
>>INFORMATION: Nursing Home Restraint Injuries
Dramatic cerebral palsy improvement seen after cord blood treatment
NBC’s Today Show recently reported on the story about a toddler with cerebral palsy, who experienced dramatic improvements in his disability following an experimental procedure involving a stem cell transplant. While still an unproven treatment, this provides hope that some children may be able to recover from cerebral palsy, or at least experience improvement of cerebral palsy symptoms.
