Articles related to MEDICAL ERRORS

A jury assigned 35% of liability to a second-opinion physician and health center after a patient underwent an unnecessary hysterectomy based on a contaminated biopsy specimen, finding that discordant pathology results were not reconciled and informed consent was not obtained.

A $4.5 million stroke verdict shows how a missing ‘stat’ designation and one unfollowed order can end a patient’s life and a neurologist’s career.

This recent case out of Orange County, CA, is forcing a question: When does a complication cross the line into criminal liability?

“The pharmacist should have realized that the prescription was incorrectly written and should have communicated with the provider, who would have then understood that the titration schedule was incorrect, and all this wouldn’t have happened.”

“Both physicians should have realized that the patient’s aortic stenosis was worse than originally thought and the patient did not receive proper treatment, leading to his death.”

The nurses have an obligation to ensure that the patient knows what the procedure is and understands what she’s having done in general terms, not technical terms.