Northern Virginia and Washington D.C. Medical Malpractice and Personal Injury Lawyers’ Blog

529 Medical Errors Reported in the District of Columbia In One Year

Unless you or a loved one has been a victim of medical negligence, you have probably never given much thought to how often medical negligence occurs.  You probably have never considered how preventable the medical negligence was.  The Washington, D.C.'s Department of Health's annual report sheds light on those issues.

The city's Department of Health reported that for the 12 months between July 2007 and June 2008, there were 529 "adverse events" in District of Columbia hospitals and clinics.  At least 14 of these errors resulted in the death of the patient.

The underlying nature of the adverse errors was alarming.  At least seven people died because they were given the wrong medicine or given the wrong dose of medication.  Another adverse event involved surgery performed on the wrong breast of a woman.  Another involved the death of patient who, while in respiratory distress, was hooked up to a ventilator that was broken.

Sadly, the 529 adverse events are probably an understatement of the number of actual medical errors that occurred during the reported 12-month period.  Only 10 of the District's 15 hospitals participated in the report, and only two of the District's 21 nursing homes reported.

So, the next time you hear about a medical malpractice case that has been filed, don't be so quick to judge it as frivolous. Ask questions about its underlying facts.  You might be surprised just how preventable the medical error was and how needless a patient's death or injury was.

 

 

Patient Advocacy: A Growing Business

How many of us have gone to a emergency room, or even to a doctor's office, and waited for what seemed to be an eternity to be examined?  How many of us have been in a hospital or a doctor's office but felt that the staff was not hearing our complaints?  Unfortunately, these experiences can be all too common.  In our legal practice, we often see the tragic consequences that can result from long delays and failure to listen to patient complaints.  Sadly, we have handled numerous cases in which patients have died or have suffered life-changing injuries from conditions that were treatable with earlier intervention. 

Recently, we have been reading a great deal about an emerging business industry - patient advocacy.  A recent article in the Arizona Daily Star discussed the role and merits of patient advocacy.   The patient advocate works on behalf of a patient to ensure that the patient receives the best possible medical care.  These advocates can help monitor patient medication, review patient treatment plans, provide detailed patient medical histories, alert overworked nurses when vital signs go bad, coordinate care as nurses and doctors change shifts, and look out for patient comfort, hygiene and mobility.  The use of patient advocates appears to be most prevalent during hospitalizations and nursing home visits. 

For more informaton about patient advocacy, check out these websites below.  We do not have any affiliation with these companies, but found that their websites provide helpful information for you in considering whether to hire or use a patient advocate.
Patient & Family Advocates, LLC
The Family Advocate
COPE Patient Advocates

Please note, however, that a patient advocate does not always have to be a hired advocate.  Family members can always serve as an effective advocate if they are willing to become actively involved in the care of a loved one.