An increasing number of surgeries and other medical procedures are performed at outpatient surgery centers, also known as ambulatory surgery centers or same-day surgery centers, in Philadelphia and elsewhere in Pennsylvania.

Advancements in the healthcare industry have allowed doctors and surgeons all across the U.S. to perform medical procedures and surgeries at outpatient surgery centers, which offer the opportunity to perform the appropriate procedure, treatment or surgery on the same day.

The benefits and dangers of outpatient surgery centers

Not only is same-day medical care convenient, but it also improves the efficiency of provided care, eliminates the need of long-term hospital care, lowers the cost of treatment, and makes the entire experience less stressful for the patient, allowing him or her to recover at home rather than in the hospital.

Despite offering patients the convenience of same-day medical care, these outpatient surgery centers carry the potential risk of medical malpractice in the form of medical and surgical errors, and, as a result, serious injuries, medical complications and death.

Medical malpractice at outpatient surgery centers

As someone who has been injured due to negligence, carelessness, or recklessness on the part of healthcare providers at an outpatient surgery center, you have a right to pursue compensation for any resulting damages and losses, especially if you are represented by a Philadelphia outpatient surgery malpractice attorney.

Here at The Weitz Firm, LLC, our skilled medical malpractice lawyers have helped victims of outpatient surgery malpractice in Philadelphia and all across Pennsylvania to recover damages on their behalf. Our law firm has achieved hundreds of verdicts and settlements in medical malpractice cases worth millions of dollars.

Risk of injury at an outpatient surgery center

Regardless of whether the surgery performed at an outpatient surgery center is minor or major, there is always a risk that the surgeon could make a surgical error, which can lead to serious injury or even death. The vast majority of medical malpractice lawsuits filed against outpatient surgery centers are based on negligent performance of any of the following surgeries:

  • Eye surgery
  • Cosmetic surgery
  • Plastic surgery
  • Back, leg, arm, or hand surgery and
  • Gastric bypass surgery

Most outpatient surgery centers are licensed only to perform minor procedures and surgeries, which is why these ambulatory surgery centers are usually less regulated than hospitals. “Besides, outpatient surgery centers are usually not capable of providing proper care in the event of an emergency, which is why they have to transport patients to a nearby medical facility,” says our experienced outpatient surgery malpractice attorney in Philadelphia at The Weitz Firm, LLC.

Types of outpatient surgery malpractice

You may be able to recover damages from the surgeon or doctor who performed a medical procedure or surgery at an outpatient surgery center if any of the following medical or surgical errors occurred in the course of the procedure or surgery:

  • Failure to properly and adequately sterilize surgical tools and equipment
  • Prematurely discharging a patient from the outpatient surgery center
  • Making anesthesia-related errors (overdose, underdose, omission, incorrect administration route, etc.)
  • Making medication errors (overdose, underdose, drug preparation error, prescription error, etc.)
  • Lack of qualification or certification
  • Infections acquired during, before, or after the surgery
  • Improper handling of a medical device or tool
  • Failure to obtain informed consent and
  • Failure to provide adequate follow-up on the patient’s recovery after the surgery

However, not all injuries or side effects caused by procedures and surgeries at outpatient surgery centers amount to medical malpractice. To recover damages from a doctor or surgeon who operated on you, your Philadelphia medical malpractice lawyer has to prove that the surgeon failed to adhere to the accepted standard of care when performing the procedure or surgery.

Speak to our medical malpractice attorneys at The Weitz Firm, LLC, to discuss your case and determine whether or not your outpatient surgeon’s actions constitute medical malpractice. Call our offices at 267-587-6240 to schedule a free consultation.

Click To Call