According to findings published by AARP, medication errors injure approximately 1.3 million people on an annual basis. The majority of those injured reside in New York and the United States. Researchers conducted the study over a 12-year period, between the years of 2000 and 2012. In that time span, the number of errors more than doubled, from 3,065 cases to 6,855 yearly. During the entire study period, researchers saw more than 67,000 errors and 414 deaths. Many of the errors were preventable.
Medication errors rise, FDA works to combat them
Chemical restraints on nursing home patients
The use of chemical restraints on nursing home patients is a growing concern in today's society. Because of the widespread and ease of availability of prescription medications, it is not difficult for nursing home staff to get their hands-on sedatives. If a patient is particularly difficult, staff members may not hesitate to use those sedatives to make their jobs easier. Doing so is both illegal and dangerous.
How to avoid common but dangerous medical errors
As you age, you are likely going to spend more time on average with healthcare professionals and getting medical treatment than you did in your earlier years. This is just a natural process of getting older and taking good care of your health.
What are the risks of not getting prenatal care?
During pregnancy, the health of both mother and baby is important. You should seek prenatal care from your New York doctor to ensure a healthy pregnancy and prevent issues during birth. As an expectant mother, you need to understand the importance of getting care during your pregnancy. It can help to prevent birth injuries and other issues that could endanger you and your baby.
What is duty of care?
When you go to see a doctor in New York, you have the right to expect that doctor to take care of you properly. If he or she does not, it could impact your health. A great example is when a doctor misses the symptoms and signs that you have a condition and fails to diagnose it. The responsibility of your doctor to provide adequate care, according to The National Law Review, is duty of care.
Do hospitals profit from surgical errors?
As a surgical patient in New York, you should be able to trust in your surgeons to always act in your best interest. However, a study conducted at a hospital in Texas approximately five years ago may have sown some seeds of doubt in patients' minds about doctors' intent as it seemed to indicate that hospitals make more money if patients develop complications after surgery because they require more medication and other treatments, as well as longer hospital stays. The implication was that hospitals may not have been doing all they could to prevent surgical complications and errors from occurring in the interest of making a profit off of patients' suffering.
Health department brings charges against New York oncologist
New York State was once home to one of the largest private cancer practices in the region at CCS Oncology. After a string of legal troubles over the last two years, including a bankruptcy filing and an FBI raid, the former president and CEO of the facility, also a radiation oncologist, now faces charges from the state Health Department, alleging incompetence and gross negligence in his treatment of seven patients. Of those seven patients, six are now dead.
How can you tell if your loved one is being treated poorly?
Even though your loved one has been in a New York nursing home for quite some time now and you did adequate research before deciding where to house him or her, you are starting to suspect that something is wrong. However, it is difficult to tell if your judgments are justified and your loved one is okay. Fortunately, there are warning signs that you can watch to help you recognize when better care should be provided.
Protecting your baby from traumatic brain injuries at birth
As you are preparing to give birth to your baby in New York, much anticipation and excitement lay ahead as you tend to the last-minute details for planning your birthing experience and getting the nursery ready. At Futterman Sirotkin & Seinfeld, LLP, we have helped many families defend and protect their children who may have received an injury during childbirth.
