Mistakes will always happen in any workplace, and hospitals are no different. Doctors and nurses are humans, after all, and humans make mistakes every day. Yet, there are some errors that are so avoidable that medical authorities term them “never events.”...
Medical Malpractice
What do hospitals do about surgeons too old to operate safely?
Americans are living longer and retiring later in life. That holds true for physicians. More and more practicing physicians are over 65. Some people find it reassuring to see the same doctor they’ve had since they were a child or they just feel safer with an older...
Medical malpractice and psychological damage
No matter how it happens, medical malpractice injures all aspects of your life. Even a minor mistake can significantly impact your life expectancy and physical comfort. Unfortunately, malpractice also leads to pervasive psychological anguish affecting you and your...
When doctors don’t like their work, that’s a problem for patients
Maybe you’ve seen images of smiling doctors attending to grateful patients. Promotional materials for health care insurance, private clinics and medical school are full of them. It turns out the reality is not quite like that. A 2018 study found that 54% of doctors...
A delayed diagnosis can still be fatal
A misdiagnosis can certainly be fatal. You trust your doctor to make a quick diagnosis and get you the help that you need. If you come in with a serious problem and the doctor misses it, you know that the results could be very serious. A delayed diagnosis is similar,...
Understanding what it means to give “informed consent”
As adult patients, we have the right to decide how a medical condition or injury will be treated (with the exception of some emergency situations). We can go along with our doctor’s recommendation, ask to hear about alternatives and get a second opinion. However, if...
Why it takes time to spot cerebral palsy
If a child's brain does not get enough oxygen during the birthing process, they can sometimes be afflicted with a condition known as cerebral palsy. This is a condition that can have a lot of different symptoms depending on what parts of the brain are impacted, but it...
Allergic reactions to drugs can lead to serious consequences
Many of us experience allergy symptoms to things like pollen, animal dander and dust. Usually, these allergic responses are only mildly annoying, requiring us to pop a decongestant or antihistamine so we can carry on with our day. There are those of us, however, who...
Fatigued nurses are likely to make costly medical mistakes
Nurses play a crucial role in the treatment and management of patients. However, it is not uncommon for these unsung heroes of the health care professional to complain of fatigue, stress and being overworked. The responsibilities associated with being a nurse are...
Why racism in medicine is still such a major issue
Physicians should try to offer each of their patients the same standard of care. They take an oath to try to do what is best for their patients, but some doctors fall far short of meeting that standard. It is unfortunately quite common for a doctor's personal...
