In early June, we covered the topic of medication errors and, more specifically, the anomaly known as the “July effect.” The phrase refers to the abnormally high number of medication errors that consistently take place during this month. A recent dive into the so-called “July effect” by researchers at the University of California, San Diego encompassed […]
When most consider the dangers of suffering a stroke, they more like than not to be thinking about an elderly relative, maybe even themselves. Most are definitely not considering a newborn child and even less so one that has not yet been born. Still, according to a recent interview published in the Seattle Times, the risk of a […]
An opinion in the New York Times on June 18, 2010 written by Theresa Brown, an oncology nurse, contributor to The Times’s “Well” blog and the author of “Critical Care: A New Nurse Faces Death, Life and Everything In Between,” states “Cost-cutting at hospitals often means fewer nurses, so the number of patients each nurse […]
Though medical malpractice reform is essentially a Republican talking point, President Obama has acknowledged the need for some change in the how the system operates. Rather than focusing on the question patient compensation limits, the president has cast a wide net, seeking ways to ensure that hospital errors do not happen or that more patients can be […]
Some prefer to point the finger at medical malpractice lawyers when asked about rising healthcare costs and decreases in patient safety. Rising healthcare costs mean more individuals without accessible treatment, and doctors frightened by the prospect of a lawsuit may over-diagnose a patient. Why do we all need malpractice claims, hospital negligence claims, and the attorneys […]
Following up on a pledge made to Republicans, Obama recently allocated more than $20 million in grants to universities and medical institutions for the purpose of studying hospital safety measures and ways to cut back on medical malpractice lawsuits. A popular target, especially for Republican lawmakers, medical malpractice lawsuits are often cited as one of, if not […]
According to military figures, about 115,000 U.S. soldiers who served in Iraq and Afghanistan have suffered mild traumatic brain injuries since the war began. Some officials have commented that this number is likely to be understated and that tens of thousands of troops suffering from a brain injury have gone uncounted, according to military research […]
June 1, 2010–According to the Chief Justice of Pennsylvania, Ronald D. Castille, the number of medical malpractice lawsuits filed against health care providers decreased approximately 44% across the state in 2009. This was the fifth year that medical malpractice filings have decreased in Pennsylvania. The largest verdict in Pennsylvania in 2009 came out of Allegheny […]
In 2004, Barbara Glasow entered the office of Dr. Joseph M. Skutches complaining of a painful lump in her breast. Though she was initially worried that the lump might be cancerous, Dr. Skutches assured Glasow that the mass was only a sebaceous cyst. These cysts can be painful and unsightly, but are far from deadly. […]
There is nothing like summer cold to ruin your weekend. However, if you get sick in July, it might pay to try to treat your cold with green tea rather than a visit to the doctor’s office. Researchers from the University of California at San Diego looked at nearly 30 years of hospital records, finding about 250,000 recorded […]
