Medically reviewed by
Deborah Weatherspoon, Ph.D., MSN
Written by Yvette Brazier
Updated on June 8, 2023
Source: Medical News Today
Photo Source: Unsplash,
Types of error and malpractice
Examples of cases where an error or negligence could lead to a lawsuit include:
misdiagnosis or failure to diagnose
unnecessary or incorrect surgery
premature discharge
failure to order appropriate tests or to act on results
not following up
prescribing the wrong dosage or the wrong medication
leaving things inside the patient’s body after surgery
operating on the wrong part of the body
the patient has persistent pain after surgery
potentially fatal infections acquired in the hospital
pressure ulcers, or bedsores
Other serious incidents in the past have included fires in hospitals and patients committing suicide while in the care of health staff.
A team from the University of Illinois reported in Annals of Pharmacotherapy that blood thinners make up about 7 percent of all medication errors in hospitalized patients.
Blood thinners can lower the risk of stroke and heart attack by preventing clots from developing in the veins and arteries, but at higher doses, they can also increase the risk of bleeding.
In 2013, the BMJ published findings indicating Source that the main cause of malpractice was misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis.
In 2016, Johns Hopkins scientists suggested that medical errors should rank as the third leading cause of death in the U.S., after heart disease and cancer.
However, it is unclear exactly how many deaths result from malpractice.
Measures that have reduced the incidence of infringements by hospitals include the establishment of guidelines for best practice, and sustained implementation of hand hygiene rules.
Who can these practices influence your health? How can it impact your health? Why?
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