Research released by Johns Hopkins University researchers indicates that medical errors lead to approximately 250,000 deaths each year in the US. Medical errors undoubtedly lead to many more non-fatal injuries. Unfortunately, there are many types of mistakes healthcare professionals can make that lead to long-term consequences for patients.
Misdiagnosis or Delayed Diagnosis
A misdiagnosis can be detrimental, particularly if it leads to an individual not receiving the medical care they need or delayed treatment of the medical condition. When individuals go to their doctor, either in a doctor’s office or the emergency room, they need to be given the proper attention necessary to make a correct diagnosis. This includes medical professionals performing the appropriate tests for the symptoms displayed or explained. A misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis could lead to a person experiencing significant pain and suffering if their condition worsens before the correct diagnosis can be made.
Failure to Treat
There are various ways that a medical professional could be found liable for a failure to treat a patient. Failure to treat happens when medical professionals violate the basic standards of medical care they accept when they take a patient. Some examples of failure to treat include, but are not limited to:
- Discharging a patient from the hospital too soon
- Failing to provide a patient or caregivers with proper follow-up care instructions
- Failing to order appropriate medical tests for a patient
- Failing to consider a patient’s medical history when determining treatment or medications
Surgical Errors
Surgical errors can lead to major lifelong consequences or death for a patient. There are many members of a surgical team, and each member plays a specific role in ensuring a successful outcome for the patient. However, there are various types of medical errors that can occur in the surgical field, including the following:
- Leaving objects behind inside a patient
- Performing surgery on the wrong patient
- Performing surgery on the wrong body part on the correct patient
- Failing to properly monitor anesthesia
- Failing to follow accepted medical practices
Every member of a surgical team must properly communicate pertinent patient information to each other before, during, and after the surgery in order to avoid patient harm.
Medication Mistakes
Just about every person inside of a medical facility will use some sort of medication or medical device. Unfortunately, there are several errors that can occur when it comes to prescription medications, including the following:
- Prescribing the wrong medication for a patient’s condition
- Prescribing an incorrect dosage of a medication, either too little or too much
- Failing to recognize or understand potentially deadly drug interactions or allergic reactions to medications
- Failing to adequately obtain a patient’s medication history
- Not recognizing the signs of overdose, abuse, or addiction to a medication with a patient
Childbirth Injuries
Child injuries include any type of injury that occurs before, during, or shortly after childbirth. In some cases, child injuries or disabilities are not the fault of medical professionals. However, there are times when the actions or inaction of medical professionals involved in the labor and delivery process can lead to major injuries. Childbirth injuries can be caused by:
- Inadequate prenatal care
- Failing to recognize maternal or fetal distress
- Failing to perform a C-section when one is indicated
- Improper use of various tools, such as forceps or vacuum devices, when we’re moving a baby from the birth canal
If you believe you have suffered an injury due to a medical error, reach out to our Santa Ana medical malpractice lawyers for a free consultation.
