Preventing EMS Medical Mistakes Comes Down To Communication

When you think of medical care, you probably think about doctors and nurses at the hospital or your local doctor’s office. However, EMS providers play a critical role in keeping us healthy and alive in an emergency. They also make mistakes, and there may be a time when you need a medical negligence lawyer in Philadelphia to secure the compensation you need. At The Weitz Firm, LLC, you can count on us to be by your side. Today, we want to discuss how many of the mistakes in prehospital care occur and what you can do if it happens to you.

What can happen in the prehospital setting?

When you or a loved one are experiencing an emergency and call 911, EMTs and paramedics are going to show up and do everything they can to help. When there is a medical emergency, there is often plenty of confusion and it is important to remember that EMS providers are the first line of defense in most emergencies. They have stressful jobs.

• EMS providers also make mistakes due to negligence or carelessness on their part.

A recent series of articles started running on EMS World that seeks to address mistakes made in EMS and ways they can be prevented. The article cites a Johns Hopkins research statistic that an estimated 400,000 people are killed each year as a result of medical errors.

That is an astounding number. It is inevitable that many of those deaths happen due to the actions of those in the prehospital (EMS) setting. The article cites James Woodson, MD, FACEP, on his vision for reducing patient harm and treatment times. Dr. Woodson says that the main contributing factors of medical errors are broken down into three categories:

1. People – attitudes, understanding, willingness, etc.
2. Process – focusing on a protocol that will decrease variance and variability of care and outcomes.
3. Tools – documenting communication and technology and methods that will assist in decision-making and care.

He says that “Communication is where the lion’s share of the problem is.”

In EMS, this communication comes in the form of providers communicating with the patient (what is the emergency, what is the patient’s medical history) and communication with the provider and the hospital staff.

What we can do to help you

You do not have to sit back and continue to be the victim if you have been harmed due to medical negligence by an EMS provider. At The Weitz Firm, LLC, we firmly believe that careless or negligent healthcare professionals need to be held responsible when they cause patient harm.

Let us take your case today so we can work on securing the compensation you deserve, including:

• Compensation for all medical expenses related to the mistake
• Coverage of lost wages if you cannot work
• Loss of enjoyment of life damages
• Pain and suffering damages
• Punitive damages against the people responsible

If you need a Philadelphia medical malpractice lawyer, you can contact us for a free consultation by clicking here or calling 267-587-6240.