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Medical malpractice occurs when a healthcare professional deviates from accepted standards of care, leading to harm or injury to a patient. Understanding the various types of medical malpractice can help patients and their families recognize potential issues and seek appropriate recourse. Here’s an overview of four common types of medical malpractice:
Diagnostic Errors
Misdiagnosis
Misdiagnosis happens when a healthcare provider incorrectly identifies a patient’s condition. This can lead to improper or delayed treatment, worsening the patient’s condition. For example, if a doctor mistakes cancer symptoms for a less severe illness, the cancer may progress untreated, resulting in more severe health consequences.
Delayed Diagnosis
A delayed diagnosis occurs when a condition is identified later than it should be. This can be due to various factors, such as the healthcare provider’s failure to recognize symptoms or delays in diagnostic testing. For instance, if a doctor delays ordering necessary tests for a heart condition, the patient may experience a heart attack or other complications that could have been avoided with an earlier diagnosis.
Failure To Diagnose
Failure to diagnose involves the complete oversight of a condition. This can happen if a healthcare provider does not order necessary tests or dismisses symptoms as insignificant. For example, if a patient presents with symptoms of a serious condition like diabetes, but the doctor fails to perform appropriate tests, the patient may suffer from unmanaged symptoms and complications.
Surgical Errors
Wrong-Site Surgery
Wrong-site surgery is a serious error in which a surgical procedure is performed on the wrong part of the body. This can include performing surgery on the incorrect limb, organ, or side of the body. For instance, if a patient is scheduled for left knee surgery but the operation is performed on the right knee, it constitutes a significant malpractice issue.
Surgical Instrument Retention
Surgical instrument retention occurs when a foreign object, such as a surgical sponge or instrument, is left inside the patient’s body after surgery. This can lead to infections, pain, and additional surgeries to remove the object. Despite being preventable, this error can have serious consequences for the patient’s health and recovery.
Anesthesia Errors
Anesthesia errors can occur during the administration of anesthesia, including incorrect dosage, failure to monitor the patient properly, or using inappropriate anesthetic agents. These errors can lead to severe complications such as respiratory issues, prolonged unconsciousness, or even death. Proper monitoring and dosage adjustments are crucial to avoid these errors.
Medication Errors
Prescription Errors
Prescription errors involve providing a patient with the wrong medication or incorrect dosage. This can occur due to miscommunication, illegible handwriting, or inaccurate information. For example, if a doctor prescribes a medication that interacts negatively with the patient’s existing medications, it can lead to adverse effects or treatment failures.
Dosage Errors
Dosage errors occur when a patient receives too much or too little of a prescribed medication. This can happen due to calculation mistakes, mislabeling, or misunderstanding of dosage instructions. Overdosing can result in toxic effects while underdosing may lead to ineffective treatment and persistent symptoms.
Failure To Monitor Medication Effects
Failure to monitor the effects of medication involves not adequately tracking how a medication affects the patient. This can lead to missed adverse reactions or failure to recognize when a medication is not working as intended. Proper monitoring is essential to adjust treatment plans and ensure patient safety.
Birth Injuries
Improper Use Of Delivery Instruments
Improper use of delivery instruments, such as forceps or vacuum extractors, can cause injury to the baby during childbirth. For example, excessive or incorrect use of these tools can result in facial nerve damage, brain injury, or other physical harm to the infant.
Failure To Respond To Complications
Failure to respond to complications during labor and delivery, such as shoulder dystocia (when the baby’s shoulder becomes stuck) or fetal distress, can lead to serious birth injuries. If the healthcare team does not act promptly to address these issues, it can result in conditions like cerebral palsy or other long-term disabilities.
Delayed Or Inadequate Neonatal Care
Delayed or inadequate care of the newborn after birth can lead to complications such as infections, breathing issues, or jaundice. Prompt and appropriate care is essential to address immediate health concerns and ensure the baby’s well-being.
Medical malpractice can have serious consequences for patients, leading to worsened health conditions, prolonged recovery times, and significant emotional and financial distress. If you suspect malpractice, consulting with a medical malpractice lawyer is crucial to explore options for seeking justice and compensation for damages.
Thank you to our friends at Parker, Pallet, Slezak & Russell, LLC for their insight into medical malpractice.
