In this digital age of instant information and constant communication, we have nearly unbridled access to the local and national news stream. While this is advantageous to the extent that it keeps us informed and raises awareness, it can also work against us in that we sometimes fail to stop and truly think about the […]
Last year, pharmacies across the United States filled over 3.7 billion prescriptions. While the majority of these prescriptions were filled correctly, an unacceptably high number of patients weren’t as fortunate. It’s a well known fact that pharmacy errors ranging from dispensing the wrong medication (or the right medication at the wrong dosage) to the failure […]
It’s not uncommon to be making your way home from work, school or errands and see the flashing lights of an ambulance in your rearview mirror. While we rely on these paramedics as the first line of defense in the event of a serious accident or medical emergency, a recent study suggests that one of […]
A recently filed lawsuit in U.S. District Court raises a rather fascinating legal question concerning liability for medication errors: Can a hospital be held liable when its physicians prescribe large amounts of a drug that a patient eventually uses to commit suicide? The case in question involves identical twin sisters — we’ll call them Darla […]
In our previous post, we discussed how the Pennsylvania-based ECRI Institute recently released its Top 10 Health Technology Hazards Report for 2013. Now in its sixth year of publication, the report is intended “to raise awareness of the potential dangers associated with the use of medical devices and systems.” To recap, ECRI identified the following […]
Earlier this month, ECRI Institute — a Pennsylvania-based organization dedicated to the advancement of patient care — released its hotly anticipated list outlining the top ten health technology hazards for 2013. As expected, the list was not short on surprises. Described by the non-profit as a means “to raise awareness of the potential dangers associated […]
This past Wednesday morning, people all over the country more than likely came to work a bit bleary-eyed after a late night spent watching election coverage. In fact, it’s a good bet that despite consuming numerous cups of coffee, many employees either didn’t get their work done or failed to work up to their usual […]
Every year, millions of Americans will have to face the prospect of undergoing some sort of abdominal surgery. For some, the abdominal surgery will be an appendectomy, meaning a relatively routine and risk-free procedure. For others, the abdominal surgery will be to treat cancer or another grave medical condition, meaning a more complex and physically […]
When an OB/GYN fails to order the necessary tests that could indicate the possibility of certain birth complications or fails to conduct proper monitoring of the health of the baby during the delivery, the result can be devastating birth injuries such as cerebral palsy. For those unfamiliar with the specifics of cerebral palsy, it is […]
