Patients often defer to their doctor when reporting medical concerns. Even if the signs and symptoms of a problem feel concerning, the doctor may tell the patient they have nothing to worry about. Telling the patient not to worry can relieve some of the stress but it may also prevent the patient…
With new safety regulations and safety technology, workers in the U.S. should be seeing fewer on the job injuries and fatalities. Unfortunately, worker fatalities have not dropped and have gone up, in some jobs. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 5,333 workers who died as a result of on-the-job…
Hospitals are always looking for ways to save money. There are some cost-cutting measures that do not present any danger to patients. Unfortunately, some hospitals are cutting corners in ways that put patient safety at risk. One of the popular money-saving measures is to outsource some of the recordkeeping, storage, and transcription…
When a patient goes into the hospital for a surgical operation, they should be advised of the risks of the operation. It is important for a patient to understand the risks and benefits in order to make an informed decision on their own healthcare. Unfortunately, some medical mistakes may occur when the…
Plastic surgeons make it seem like their procedures are safe and routine but they may be overestimating the safety of invasive cosmetic procedures. Common plastic surgical procedures like breast implants, nose jobs, and face lifts involve cutting away tissue, reshaping the patient’s body, and stitching up large incisions. Even routine procedures can…
Stem cell research holds a number of promising medical treatments. Stem cell treatment is still a developing area of medicine but some potential breakthroughs have included: Making new heart muscle Tissue regeneration Spinal cord injury repair Diabetes treatment Cancer treatment However, some practitioners may be putting patients in danger by using stem…
By February, most people in Philly are done with winter. The piles of cleared snow have frozen into grey icy blocks. Each day, some snow melts into water to refreeze at night, leaving slippery sidewalks and parking lots. Although we all know it’s not a scientific test, we are all hoping that…
Doctors have gone through a lot of classroom education, on the job training, testing, and licensing. Hospitals have systems in place to make sure accidents don’t happen. With so many protections in place, how can medical errors happen? The unfortunate truth is that medical accidents happen all the time. Medical errors that…
When a doctor orders lab tests and diagnostic imaging tests for a patient, the patient may not be clear on the purpose of the test or what the test involves. Most patients trust that the doctor is ordering all the right tests and leaving no stone unturned. However, some doctors still differ…
When people are under a lot of stress, it can affect their work. When a doctor is under stress and fatigued, it can cause injury or harm to patients. Good mental health can reduce the effects of stress and improve well-being. A number of medical centers are introducing physician well-being programs to…
Many patients do not think much about the surgical instruments that will be used in their surgery. The patients will likely be under anesthesia and have no idea what instruments are actually used in their surgery. At the very least, patients should expect the instruments will be clean and sterile. Unfortunately, errors…
Many truck drivers are on the road for days. There are minimum requirements to give truck drivers time off to sleep and get some rest but drivers have ways around the safety regulations. There are a lot of “tips” and “tricks” for staying alert while driving. Unfortunately, most of those tricks don’t…
With different insurance programs, a patient may have limited options when selecting their primary care doctor. With specialist services and hospital treatment, patients may have limited options available in deciding who will provide care. Leaving it up to the hospital or insurance company to decide who will provide care, patients expect their…
Expecting a doctor to have terrible handwriting is often treated like a joke. However, there are very real-world consequences of physicians with illegible handwriting. Poor handwriting can be misread by other doctors, physicians, and healthcare workers. Confusion can cause delays in treatment and mistakes can cause fatal errors. Fatal Mistakes and Bad…
Hospitals know what kinds of steps they can take to improve patient safety. This includes adequate staffing, proactive error review, and safety briefings. A hospital in Wyoming implemented a number of these safety measures and saw a 70% drop in medical errors. Unfortunately, many medical centers are focused more on profits than…
Space heaters can be a convenient way to heat up a small area without having to turn up the thermostat. In a cold office, some people use a space heater under the desk to keep their feet warm. Space heaters can also be used for people who are sensitive to the cold,…
In 2018, there were more than 4.3 million cosmetic surgical and non-surgical procedures performed in the U.S. Breast augmentation continues to be the number one cosmetic surgical procedure, with more than 1.8 million procedures. It seems so common that many people overlook the dangers. Plastic surgeons have a responsibility to inform patients…
Motorcycle riders in Philadelphia often have to deal with the threat of icy road conditions in the winter. In most cases, riders have no problem negotiating the slick roads but in combination with erratic drivers, it can cause a serious risk of injury. If a driver suddenly crosses paths with a motorcycle…
It only takes a short hospital stay or surgery for a patient’s medical records to turn into volumes of documents and electronic reports. These medical records are extremely important to patient care because they provide a snapshot into how the doctors, nurses, and hospitals treated the patient. When there are problems with…
Informed consent for a medical treatment is important because it means the patient understands the procedure, the purpose of the procedure, and the risks and benefits. Failing to get informed consent may even be a type of medical malpractice. Unfortunately for patients, the misinformation can also go the other way and the…
Noel Jodoin began to suffer an unusual headache. The headache was severe and after it continued for 3 days, she went to the hospital for an evaluation. When talking to the ER doctors, Johnson said she saw occasional flashes of light and over-the-counter medication was not helping. The doctors suspected a migraine…
A jury in upstate New York awarded the family of a teacher $1.5 million after the teacher killed himself, which the family claimed was because of an unchecked prescription for antidepressants. According to the plaintiff’s case, the patient had not seen his doctor for 10 years and the doctor just kept filling…
It has only been a few weeks since Christmas and Hanukkah but already, some of those must-have toys are beginning to show their wear. Most parents and grandparents who buy toys for children on the holidays do not expect the plastic products to become family heirlooms. However, at the very least, consumers…
Any surgery carries some risk of complications, including cosmetic surgery. It is important for patients to understand the risks and benefits of any surgery in order to make an informed decision about their healthcare. Some cosmetic surgeons make it seem like there are few risks associated with common procedures but anytime general…
Any patient with a serious health concern has experienced the problem of the doctor simply not listening. Doctors have the training, education, and experience to diagnose and treat diseases and medical conditions. But the one thing that the doctor will never have is a lifetime inside the body of the patient. Patients…
A new year is a great time to think about getting into shape. New Year’s resolutions can give someone the focus to work on self-improvement, like eating better, getting regular exercise, or starting a gym regimen. However, people looking at prospective gym memberships should be aware of some of the dangers of…
After a serious medical error, the patient may be left requiring medical treatment for life. Serious injuries, including head injuries, birth injuries, and spinal cord injuries can require a lifetime of care, costing hundreds of thousands of dollars or more in medical expenses. In order to recover damages from the negligent doctor,…
Most people think about hospitals as a place to go to recover from an injury. Unfortunately, the hospital can also be a place that is responsible for causing injuries. Many patients are designated as “fall-risk” if they may be at risk of injury for a slip and fall injury, losing balance, or…
There has been an increase in the number of medical malpractice claims related to COVID-19. Almost 5% of medical malpractice claims filed in the U.S. are related to the coronavirus. The healthcare industry has been pushing to limit liability related to COVID. However, at the same time, some doctors are failing to…