In New York and across the United States, medical technology is rapidly improving. Designed to help medical professionals to make accurate diagnoses and help people overcome injury, illness and conditions, these innovations were supposed to dramatically reduce the chance of avoidable mistakes.
Unfortunately, as a recent study shows, medical errors continue to be a challenge. People place their trust in doctors and hospitals. In turn, they expect to receive the utmost in care. When errors occur, people who were harmed and their families might not even be aware that it was due to a medical professional’s misstep. Being aware of these studies and vigilant about the care being provided is paramount. So too is it important to have advice with considering legal options.
Study: Medical professionals are still making many diagnostic mistakes
A study published in BMJ Quality & Safety found that out of every 14 patients who were diagnosed, there was at least one mistake made. While on the surface, this might not sound significant, when considering the number of people who seek medical treatment, it adds up quickly. People could suffer worsened conditions, injuries and even death due to a misdiagnosis.
Researchers looked at a Boston hospital between July 2019 and September 2021. It was a random selection comprised of more than 9,000 people. They looked at the outcomes of 675 patients and discovered the number of mistakes that were made.
Around 85% of the errors were found to have been preventable. This emphasizes the need for medical professionals to be subject to closer scrutiny to try and stop these mistakes from happening.
The medical issues people were suffering from and the subsequent errors ranged from organ failure, respiratory issues, pneumonia, low blood oxygen and belly pain. The type of harm people experienced ranged from minor, moderate, severe and to people losing their lives.
Of the patients’ records who were assessed, there were errors for 154 patients. About one in three had a medical issue that was complicated to pinpoint. Fifty-four needed to be moved to intensive care. Thirty-four died within three months. Eight-four people experienced errors that were considered harmful.
This was based on one medical center and centered on people who needed a hospital stay of less than three weeks. It also used electronic health information that might not be fully accurate. Still, given the frequency with which people suffered a negative result, it remains a worrisome issue.
Suspected medical malpractice may warrant a legal claim
The number of people who have been injured, became ill or lost their lives because of a medical error can never truly be known with complete certainty for myriad reasons. Perhaps the patient died unexpectedly, they had another illness that obscured the medical error, or the medical professionals could have taken steps to cover it up.
People who believe they or a loved one were harmed by a misdiagnosis or other form of medical malpractice need to realize that this happens quite often. Gathering evidence, asking questions and having advice can be critical to ensuring medical professionals are held accountable for their errors. Contacting caring and experienced people who are well-versed in medical malpractice claims can be helpful in moving forward.
