Are Most Medical Mistakes Preventable?
Medical mistakes are not something many people think about until the time approaches for them to undergo some sort of medical procedure. However, researchers say that medical errors one of the leading causes of death in this country. At The Weitz Firm, LLC, we are dedicated to helping victims of medical errors secure the compensation they are entitled to. No victim should be left without recourse when a medical professional messes up. Today, our Philadelphia medical malpractice attorneys want to discuss whether or not most medical mistakes are preventable.
What we know about medical mistakes
A story by NBC News this year reaffirms what hour Philadelphia medical malpractice lawyers have been saying over the last few years – that preventable medical errors are a major problem in this country.
The report states that 1 in 10 patients are harmed over the course of their medical care and that more than half of those injuries are preventable. NBC says that 12% of all preventable errors led to a patient’s death or permanent disability.
The study included information on more than 300,000 patients, and lead author Maria Panagioti, a senior lecturer at the University of Manchester, says that “We need strategies in place to detect and correct the key causes of patient harm in health care.”
This study comes 20 years after the world was shocked by a report from the Institute of Medicine that concluded that medical errors were Responsible for as many as 98,000 American deaths a year. Since that time, researchers from Johns Hopkins have said that medical errors are the third leading cause of death in the United States, killing as many as 250,000 people a year.
In this new study, 49% of the harms reported to patients were considered “mild.” Moderate to severe harm was reported in 36% of the cases.
- Incidents related to prescription drugs and other therapies accounted for 49% of injuries.
- Injuries related to surgical procedures accounted for 23% of injuries.
- Health care-acquired infections and problems arising from diagnosis each accounted for 16% of injuries.
Experts say that there is no “silver bullet” for reducing medical mistakes. Solving this problem, they claim, will involve a combination of consistent management focus, and patient and staff engagement.
Tami Minnier, a chief quality officer of UPMC, Pittsburgh, Says that if you are not comfortable with what is happening with your medical care, “make them pause so you can ask questions.”
We can help you through this
If you or somebody you care about has been injured due to a medical mistake, you need to seek legal assistance as soon as possible. At The Weitz Firm, LLC, our qualified and experienced team is ready to investigate what happened and work to secure the following compensation:
- Coverage of all medical expenses related to the mistake
- Compensation for lost income and benefits if you cannot work
- Loss of enjoyment of life damages
- Pain and suffering damages
- Possible punitive damages against the negligent healthcare provider
When you need a Philadelphia medical malpractice attorney, you can contact us for a free consultation by clicking here or calling 267-587-6240.
