Medical malpractice rates are at epidemic proportions. Yet, the culture of medical negligence is alive and well. What does this mean, a "culture of medical negligence"? For starters, it is easy to understand that medical malpractice did not become the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S. by accident. No, forces are at work that [...]
Victims of medical errors typically experience a range of emotions, including confusion, disbelief, grief, guilt, betrayal and anger. In the aftermath of this emotional rollercoaster, many people have a burning desire to hold the responsible parties accountable. People often feel strongly that they don't want this catastrophe to happen to anyone else. While this sense of injustice [...]
Mishkind Kulwicki Law recently settled a case involving medical errors that occurred when a patient was transferred from one facility to another. We often see mistakes made at this critical time. In fact, physicians have a name for this common type of error: "hand-off error." Typically, the error occurs when key information about the patient is not communicated [...]
When you last visited your doctor, did you see a pharmaceutical salesperson with a large briefcase sitting in the lobby? Do you know someone that has been injured due to medication errors? Have you ever wondered why? How about the drug salesperson that shows up with a tray of cookies for the medical office staff? [...]
The New Yorker recently published an article by a Harvard surgeon in which he contended that the Cheesecake Factory restaurant chain provides a model for the future of healthcare. The author touted the efficiency and innovation of the restaurant chain as a way to improve quality and reduce costs. Unfortunately, despite the tenuous analogy between quality dining and quality [...]
Medical errors are all too common for consumers of healthcare services. I previously reported that approximately 1,503,323 people die or are injured annually as a result of medical errors [The $17.1 Billion Problem: The Annual Cost of Measurable Medical Errors, Health Affairs, April 2011, 30:4]. This data is consistent with findings contained in the Institute of Medicine's To [...]
For consumers who have suffered injury or wrongful death of a loved one due to medical malpractice, often an apology isn't enough. As medical expenses and other bills mount, and disability or death prevents a return to work, an apology cannot make up for the devastating economic consequences of a healthcare catastrophe. Even worse, apologies by healthcare providers [...]
Medical errors often arise when physicians rule out a condition because a common sign or symptom is not present. For instance, physicians can be quick to dismiss infection when there is no fever or abnormal white blood count (WBC). But those signs of infection are not always present. In fact, these signs or symptoms are frequently absent in certain patient [...]
As a patient, can you secretly use your smart phone or other recording device to record a conversation on the phone or in person that you have with a doctor? Is it ethical and/or legal to record a conversation of this nature without advising the doctor in advance? If you requested permission to record the [...]
At Mishkind Kulwicki Law, we frequently review, investigate and handle cases involving a failure to diagnose, prevent and/or treat pulmonary embolism. Blood clots can form in a variety of areas of the body and frequently occur after a surgical procedure or when a patient is on bed rest and not walking for an extended period [...]
