Doctors sometimes make medical errors that threaten the lives of their patients or put them in harm's way. While errors don't always leave a lasting impact, it's very important for doctors to recognize how a single error could change the course of a patient's life.
What is the importance of informed consent?
As a patient, it's important that you're given all the information you can get about your upcoming medical procedure. Whether it's a minor surgery or major treatment program, it's necessary for you to know all the potential side effects, complications and factors that could play a role in your recovery.
Medication mistakes threaten patients' lives
Medication errors are some of the easiest to miss but have the potential to be life-threatening. Medication mistakes range from being given the wrong dose to taking the wrong medication completely. Around one out of every 1,000 prescriptions is wrong in some way, which means that patients are under threat every day.
Tired, sick nurses make more mistakes, study finds
There's no question that working at a hospital is complicated and stressful. Patients come into the hospital in pain, under stress and fearing the worst. For nurses who are the front-line advocate for the patient, this can mean extreme stress or anxiety on the job.
Are expert testimonies necessary or reliable?
In a medical malpractice case, you may need to have experts testify on your behalf. It's important to have an expert in the same field as the doctor who made an error that caused your injury speak about the situation and what could have been done to prevent it. The courts often rely on the professional knowledge of an expert to dictate what is or is not professional behavior and an appropriate standard of care.
Diagnostic errors put patients' lives at risk
Diagnostic errors can result in a person getting treatments he or she doesn't need or not receiving the treatment that's required to prevent the spread of disease. As a patient who has suffered because of diagnostic errors, you know the importance of medical providers doing everything they can to give you the correct diagnosis. Not doing so can result in terminal illnesses or other complications.
Anesthesia mistakes can cost you your life
Anesthesia is one of the great medical discoveries in the world. It makes long, painful surgeries possible, saving lives every day. With around 40 million anesthesia procedures performed yearly, it's clear how important anesthesia is to the medical field.
What are some common medical errors?
There are many good doctors who make mistakes, but even they must be held accountable for their errors. If someone learns from a mistake, it's possible to prevent injuries to others in the future. If the mistake is severe enough, it's possible the medical provider should not be licensed.
What happens when you suffer from unnecessary surgery?
As a patient, you want to know that the medical care you receive is accurate and necessary. If you found out that you had an operation you didn't need just because a provider thought it would help, you'd be furious. It's a necessity that medical providers know their fields well and the different treatment options open to you.
Here's how you can make sure your doctor really hears you out
No patient wants to feel like his or her needs aren't being met or that his or her concerns are being dismissed too quickly. A health care provider should take the time to really listen to what you have to say. Your concerns have merit, and you have the right to the best medical treatment.
