Did you know that medical malpractice is one of the most common types of negligence? It is true. Health care providers and medical professionals can make mistakes or fail to meet certain standards, which is why medical malpractice in the health industry is so common.
For instance, if a nurse does not properly document a patient’s medication intake, they could miss their dosage and cause them irreparable harm as a result. Another example may be if a doctor fails to diagnose cancer in time and their patient loses their life as a result.
The point is that there are many different circumstances when it comes to medical malpractice in the healthcare industry, which is why you should be aware of your rights as an individual and how to protect yourself from these situations if necessary.
Here is what you need to know about common examples of medical malpractice that may occur should you or a loved one ever find yourself victim to medical malpractice.
1. Patient abuse or mistreatment
Abuse or mistreatment of patients can occur in a variety of ways. Some examples may be physical abuse, which may include excessive or inappropriate use of restraints. Sexual abuse or misconduct may also occur, such as inappropriate touching or comments, or sexual assault. Misdiagnosis or failure to diagnose may also be considered a form of patient abuse.
In most cases, these forms of abuse are the result of a health care provider’s poor judgement, lack of training, or poor communication and coordination with other team members. In the event that these are due to a health care provider’s malicious intent, you may have grounds to seek the services of a medical malpractice lawyer in Philadelphia, especially if the abuse caused physical or psychological injury.
2. Lack of communication or coordination
Health care providers who lack communication skills or whose ability to coordinate with other members of the team are lacking may find themselves facing a malpractice claim.
For example, miscommunication with a patient or their caregiver could lead to a misdiagnosis or incorrect treatment, or failure to communicate with team members could lead to the use of wrong equipment or erroneous prescriptions.
3. Improper screening and testing
Screening and testing are core parts of many medical procedures, but they must be done correctly. If a screening or testing is done improperly, it could lead to a misdiagnosis or a failure to identify an existing medical problem.
4. Defective or poorly maintained surgeries
Surgeries are a major part of many medical procedures. To ensure that they are done safely and correctly, health care providers must follow strict protocols. If a surgery is done poorly, or if the team fails to follow protocol, medical complications may arise.
For instance, you might find that the hospital has inadequate or poorly trained surgical team members.
5. Poor quality treatment or equipment
The quality of treatment and equipment tends to decline as the size of a medical facility grows. In some cases, the quality may dip below a level that’s considered safe or appropriate for patient care. Examples may include:
- Using equipment that is broken or poorly maintained such as a broken defibrillator or a malfunctioning surgical robot
- Failing to replace equipment that is broken or worn out such as a blood pressure cuff that is too worn out to provide a reading
- Using outdated treatment methods such as failing to update standard protocols for treatment to reflect new research
In conclusion
Looking over these examples of medical malpractice will help you get a better idea of what types of mistakes are most common in the healthcare industry should you ever find yourself mulling over hiring a medical malpractice lawyer in Philadelphia.
So, if you or a loved one encounter any of these signs during or after an appointment, and you feel that there is cause for concern, you should report it. At the end of the day, the healthcare industry is one that is meant to help and heal people.
