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Blog: Medical Malpractice
- Doctor accused of performing unnecessary heart procedures
Sep 11, 2012
In recent years, several hospitals and doctors have come under fire for allegations related to unnecessary medical procedures and ensuing medical mistakes. Whether the result of a doctor's mistake or an attempt at financial gain; patients' physical, mental and financial health are all negatively impacted by unnecessary medical procedures. An Ohio doctor has been named in a lawsuit that alleges the doctor performed unnecessary medical procedures that resulted in undue harm to patients. The doctor,...Read More - Surgical error leads to several suspensions
Sep 10, 2012
The transplantation of organs is a lifesaver for many and they are becoming more and more common and routine throughout the nation, including the Pittsburgh area. The transplant of kidneys from a live donor is just one surgery that is gaining in popularity. Despite the increased frequency of these types of surgeries, they are medical procedures nonetheless which means there are certain risks that accompany them. We have written about some of those risks in...Read More - Insight into why C-sections are so common
Sep 7, 2012
While previously cesarean sections or C-sections were only performed when absolutely medically necessary, today they are the most common type of surgical procedure. While sometimes still medically necessary, some within the health care community are questioning why a major procedure that increases the risks for medical errors and pregnancy related injuries has become so routine. Today, a C-section is performed in one out of every three births. In 1965, that number was drastically less with...Read More - UPMC sends letters to patients who may have been exposed to Hepatitis C
Sep 6, 2012
According to a story that aired on WPXI today, UPMC has sent letters to nearly 2,000 patients who may have been exposed to Hepatitis C while being treated at UPMC Presby in 2008. It is believed that these patients were exposed to the Hepatitis C because a traveling medical technician, David Kwiatkowski, who worked at UPMC from March to May of 2008 was recently arrested in New Hampshire after it was found that he transmitted...Read More - Government investigates cases of hospital negligence
Sep 5, 2012
Modern advances in the medical field allow individuals to live longer and more fulfilling lives. Many conditions that were previously considered a death sentence can now be treated with a variety of medical devices and surgical procedures. In recent years, however, there has been some concern that hospitals and doctors are performing procedures that may not be medically necessary. The U.S. Justice Department is currently conducting a widespread investigation into several possible cases of hospital...Read More - C. diff bacteria must be stopped or tightly controlled
Aug 31, 2012
You may be unfamiliar with the often fatal infection Clostridium difficile, known as C. diff. This bacterium, which damages the intestines, is more common in hospital patients than federal statistics report. Unfortunately, many of these cases are evidence of hospital negligence in Pennsylvania and across the U.S. According to an investigation by USA TODAY, C. diff is linked to over 30,000 fatalities per year as evidenced by examining hospital records. Almost 500,000 people in the...Read More - Nursing negligence results in death of 14-year-old Ohio girl
Aug 24, 2012
The large majority of doctors and nurses are highly trained and esteemed professionals who provide excellent patient care. There are some, however, that fail to understand the significance of their position and the important actions and decisions that come with it. When doctor and nursing negligence occurs, serious and even fatal consequences can result. Three nurses have been detained and are awaiting trial for charges related to nursing negligence that resulted in the death of...Read More - Are surgeries more risky when residents are involved?
Aug 24, 2012
It is fair to say that most people who are facing surgery of any kind are likely anxious about going under and not waking up. Most who are experiencing this anxiety are probably not very receptive to having a trainee surgeon or resident performing the surgery out of fear that a mistake will be committed that could possible end in death. A study recently released indicates that surgical errors do not in fact increase when...Read More - Electronic medical records come with some risk
Aug 17, 2012
While most observers are highly positive about the benefits of converting paper patient files to electronic medical records, hospital negligence in Pennsylvania or other U.S. medical facilities still comes with risk. Recently, many hospitals around the country suffered a serious five hour computer outage in July. The supplier of these electronic patient records stated that "human error" triggered the dangerous down time. Used for updating patient notes, condition, current medication, doctor communication and test orders/results,...Read More - Nursing errors stem from poor management
Aug 8, 2012
Most of us can relate to at some point to having a job where we felt stressed out and overworked. Researchers have examined the impact of sustained stress on individuals, finding that many start to eventually shut down in response to excessive amounts of pressure and stress. A new study examines how stress impacts nurses and may lead to an increase in nursing errors. For years, nurses around the country and in states like Ohio...Read More