Over the last several years, numerous reports have come out warning about the dangers lurking in one of the places that people should feel safe- hospitals. The Journal of Patient Safety estimates that there are as many as 400,000 preventable deaths attributed to medical errors in hospitals each year. In fact, if these deaths were included by the Centers of Disease Control in its leading cause-of-death rankings, based on the Journal’s estimation it would rank third.
According to the study, events that cause preventable deaths are due to five categories of errors.
COMMISSION- When a wrong action is performed or when the right action is performed incorrectly.
OMISSION- When a member of a medical team does not perform an action necessary for the patient to recover.
COMMUNICATION- If health-care providers fail to discuss critical care, warnings, or risks with a patient, the lack of communication can cause harm or death.
CONTEXT- When prescribing treatments and therapies, physicians must take the physical and mental abilities of the patient into account.
DIAGNOSTIC- testing errors that result in no treatment, delayed treatment or wrong treatment.
If you or a family member has been the victim of preventable hospital error, you may be entitled to compensation for losses. Contact Scott Mullins, an experienced medical malpractice attorney today.