According to the ABC News report, 247,662 patients died from errors made at hospitals between 2003-2005.  Furthermore, the Institute of Medicine thinks 1.5 million patients have problems from errors made in prescription medicines. If patients become actively involved in their own health care, they can avoid these mistakes.
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Birth Injury

Cerebral Palsy can be Caused by a Maternal Infection

When Newborn Jaundice Becomes Serious – What Every Kentucky Parent Should Know

Cerebral Palsy’s Impact on the Development of Children in Kentucky & Ohio

Nothing is More Heart Wrenching Than Seeing The Consequences of a Prolapsed Umbilical Cord

Did You Know That Pitocin Can Cause Serious Birth Injuries?

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Tired Truckers are a Danger to People on Kentucky Highways

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Fosamax osteoporosis drug prescribed when women only has osteopenia

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Medical Mistakes

Common Drug Errors to Watch Out For

One in Fifteen Children Injured by Medicine Mistakes

One in 50 Heart Attack Victims Sent Home by Emergency Room Doctors

Surgical Errors Cost Billions of Dollars Every Year

How to prevent medical mistakes

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Pain Pumps

PAGCL & Shoulder Pain Pumps: What a Recent Study Reveals

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Medical Studies Find a Link Between Pain Pumps and Chondrolysis

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Signs and Treatment of Kidney Failure

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Yaz or Yasmin Birth Control Can Cause Deep Vein Thrombosis

Symptoms of Pulmonary Embolism Caused by Yaz and Yasmin Birth Control

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How to prevent medical mistakes

Attorney Ronald E. Johnson of Schachter & Hendy concentrates on legal issues surrounding medical mistakes. A recent report from ABC News says the chance of a serious medical mistake is small, but errors do happen. A report published in April by HealthGrades surveyed Medicare hospital records and found that nearly 3% of patients were at risk of some kind of medical error.

Some studies say that at least 80% of medical errors are from patients not taking the correct medicine or taking the wrong dosage.

The Boston Globe reports that there were 36 times in the past four years where surgeons operated on the wrong place or the wrong patient in Massachusetts hospitals. And Women'sHealth.about.com reports that the Institute of Medicine estimates that 44,000-98,000 people die from medical errors in hospitals each year.

Some hospitals and surgeons are implementing procedures to minimize these mistakes. Medical errors can occur in a variety of places—doctor's offices, labs, hospitals, pharmacies, or surgeries. Errors can happen because of actual mistakes such as prescribing medicine that a patient is allergic to, or just a lack of communication between patient and doctor. A recent study by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality found that patients who are uninformed or uninvolved in their own care may not follow a doctor's treatment, and doctors sometimes don't do enough to help patients make informed decisions.

Women's Health reports that government agencies and health care providers are developing procedures to make sure patients stay safe. They've put together a list of tips patients can follow to make sure they get safe medical care:

u be informed and a part of making decisions about their your care plan

u make sure all your doctors know about the medicines and supplements you take

u let doctors know of any allergies or bad reactions to medicines

u make sure you can read a written prescription

u ask for more information about medicines so you understand what you're taking

u make sure you pick up the right medicine from the pharmacy

u make sure you understand all of the directions for taking the medicine

u ask the pharmacist for the right device for measuring liquid medicine to get the correct dose

u be sure to understand the possible side effects of different medications

u choose a hospital that specializes in your type of surgical procedure

u ask all health care workers in the hospital to wash their hands

u make sure you understand your treatment plan after you leave the hospital

u before a surgical procedure make sure you and the doctor communicate clearly

u ask a friend of relative to be your advocate in the hospital

For more information, go to the AHRQ Publications Clearinghouse: phone, 1-800-358-9295 (outside the United States, please call 410-381-3150) or E-mail: ahrqpubs@ahrq.gov.


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Schachter, Hendy & Johnson, Attorneys At Law
909 Wrights Summit Parkway
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Fort Wright, KY 41011
Phone: (859) 578-4444
Fax: (859) 578-4440
Toll Free: (888) 606-5297

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Schachter, Hendy & Johnson, Attorneys At Law
909 Wrights Summit Parkway
Suite 210
Fort Wright, KY 41011
Phone: (859) 578-4444
Fax: (859) 578-4440
Toll Free: (888) 606-5297

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