In our last post, we highlighted how surgeries could soon be recorded, and that legislation was pending on making this mandatory for all surgical rooms. The increased use of technology in these venues is not likely to end with barcoding surgical instruments and recording procedures. This is especially true when…
Articles Posted in Hospital Negligence
Outbreaks of bacteria borne diseases can be prevented
While we haven’t posted on the dangers of disease and infections in hospitals in a while, it does not mean that other disease-borne threats are not growing. The latest edition of the ECRI Institute highlights that outbreaks of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) have been on the rise. The outbreak of infections…
Should medical device makers be held liable in malpractice cases?
With more intricate surgical procedures becoming technology dependent, it is becoming important for medical malpractice law to catch up, so that it could deal with the potential health problems that can come from technological defects. In prior posts, we have noted that medical malpractice is not always based on a…
Can medical malpractice be based on faulty equipment?
In a number of our posts on medical malpractice matters, we focus on how a physician fails to act as doctor with comparable experience and skills would in treating a patient. Indeed, we bemoan physicians who miss on basic diagnoses or conduct operations on the wrong side of the body.…
Can hospitals be held liable for medical malpractice?
When you think about the concept of medical malpractice, you may think about a doctor failing to perform to the standards established in his or her area of practice. You may also think about surgeons failing to remove surgical devices after a procedure or doctors misdiagnosing a patient who ends…
Nurse who contracted Ebola to sue hospital where she worked
While a majority of our hospital negligence posts focus on the diseases and ailments that patients may contract, it is not uncommon for nurses and hospital staff to contract diseases when proper treating procedures have not been established, or when the proper equipment is not available to protect nurses and…
Why review of cleaning standards is important
When you think about bacteria, chances are that you are trying to avoid the harmful effects that come from it. After all, bacteria is commonly followed by sickness and disease; and if you have something caused by harmful bacteria, chances are that you are being prescribed antibiotics to get rid…
Several hospital patients infected by ‘superbug’
We have noted in a number of our posts the responsibilities hospitals have to keep patients safe from harm. This includes following established protocols for preparing patients for surgery, monitoring their vitals for potential abnormalities, and listening to their concerns about medications and treatments. One of these responsibilities is to…
Just how effective are surgical masks anyway?
If there is anything that is synonymous with a hospital setting, it is the surgical mask. It is almost as common for medical personnel as the standard scrubs are. The idea of a surgical mask is that it is to protect against the transmission of germs. But are surgical masks…
Listening may be effective in preventing medical errors
We have written a number of times about how physicians and medical staff have a duty to use reasonable care while tending to patients they are assigned to. Indeed, the main impetus behind medical malpractice cases is the failure to use such care (i.e. acting as a physician with similar…