If one of your elderly parents visited the hospital for a medical emergency, you would hope he or she would receive the best of care and respect. Unfortunately for many residents of New York and elsewhere, they aren’t always treated the way they should be in hospitals. Some, especially the homeless and un/underinsured, are discharged after treatment in unsafe conditions or before they have fully recovered.
Patient dumping endangers people, especially in winter
Report highlights staffing gaps in nursing homes
New York residents who must rely on nursing homes to help care for their elderly family members should be able to trust that the care provided will be consistent and high-quality. Sadly, this is not always the case and a lack of sufficient staffing may well be a contributing factor to this reality.
Radiological errors highlighted in study
Whether getting a routine screening, such as a mammogram, or undergoing an ultrasound to investigate a specific set of symptoms, people in New York deserve to know that their test results will be accurately read. This is an integral component to ensuring a diagnosis, if necessary, is accurate and made in a timely manner. This, in turn, ensures that the right treatment can be commenced as promptly as possible.
What is patient profiling?
When you go to see a doctor in New York, you likely expect that he or she will take you seriously and look at your symptoms to come to a diagnosis. However, if you become a victim of patient profiling, your symptoms and the results of testing or exams may not even play into the diagnosis the doctor gives you. This is what makes it such a dangerous thing.
Does a difficult label reduce the quality of your medical care?
You may never know exactly what medical professionals in New York write in your medical charts, but you could reap the effects of what is written. If you get labeled as being difficult, it could greatly affect how you are treated and the level of care that you receive. According to Science Daily, a difficult patient often includes someone with disruptive behavior or alcohol or drug abuse issues or someone who is demanding, questions the doctor, acts helpless or doesn't take doctors advice or follow instructions.
What behaviors are signs of elder abuse or neglect?
Since you have helped your loved one settle into a local New York nursing home, you have heard a couple of people mention to stay alert and aware to signs of elder abuse or neglect. While you are confident that you have selected a trustworthy facility, you acknowledge that mistreatment could happen anywhere. Your vigilance in watching for signs that your loved one is being mistreated is important so you can be sure he or she is receiving the highest quality care possible.
Coping with the loss of your stillborn infant
You looked forward with much-awaited anticipation to the arrival of your infant child and were stunned to find out that he or she passed away in utero. Now, you are left reeling with the unexpected stillbirth of your infant and trying to understand how to cope with such a tragic loss. At Futterman, Sirotkin & Seinfeld, LLP, we have helped many families in New York work through the process of their infant's death.
Doctor fatigue is a threat to patient safety
When people need medical attention in New York, often their first inclination is to contact their physician to get assistance and recommendations for medical treatment. However, doctors fail to pay attention to patient needs, lack proper communication skills or are reckless or careless, they may put any patient they treat at risk of injury or even death in serious cases. Interestingly, another risk factor for doctor error is often overlooked. This silent killer is fatigue. Doctors who work long hours are often left with little time to rest, refuel and have a mental break.
Following complaints, nursing home on path to closure
Many nursing homes in New York are granted funding from the state to support the care and treatment of incapacitated elderly individuals. However, when protocols are not followed in accordance with federally outlined policies, facilities can be denied the opportunity to receive additional funding. As a result, they may be forced to close which ultimately leaves residents without a place to go.
