Prescribing Painkillers to Opiate Naive Patients at Discharge Creates a Significant Risk of Future Opiate Addiction
A recent study found that patients who had no history of opiate drug use who were prescribed painkillers upon discharge from a hospital were five times more likely to become chronic opioid users.
The Medical Culture of Secrecy Places Self-Interest Above Patient Safety.
Medical errors are the third leading cause of death in the United States, but often times the victims of these errors never learn the full story.
Because your injury was a “risk of the procedure,” that doesn’t mean the doctor always gets off the hook.
Sometimes a risk of a procedure occurs and it is not because the surgeon was negligent. But sometimes a risk occurs because of negligence. The informed consent form should not be used to shield surgeons from liability in both situations.
Medical Equipment Malfunctions Are A Significant Cause of Operating Room Errors.
According to a 2013 study, about one-fourth of operating room errors are caused by technology and equipment problems.
Researchers Identify Hospital Programs That May Help Eliminate The Weekend Effect.
Poorer outcomes occur in surgeries performed on the weekend and holidays. A recent study hopes to remedy this situation.
CDC Warns That Improperly Sterilized Medical Equipment Is Also A Danger At Outpatient Clinics And Doctors’ Offices
Many people in Seattle were shocked to learn that improper device cleaning at a Children’s Hospital surgery center placed more than 10,000 patients at risk of infection. Seattle Children’s Hospital is notifying patients at this clinic going to 2010. In addition, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) spokesperson recently advised Medscape that a […]
Supergerm-zapping robots a real thing – will really help reduce hospital acquired infections.
A new tool in the battle against hospital acquired infections – Supergerm-zapping robots!
Changing Epidemiology is Just One Reason Acquire Infection Medical Malpractice Cases Are Extremely Difficult
Infection cases are among the most, if not the most, difficult type of medical malpractice cases.
Will cameras in operating rooms improve patient safety?
A “growing movement,” including both doctors and the relatives of those hurt or killed in operations, is advocating for putting audio and video recording devices in operating rooms to allow for greater transparency.
Seattle-area hospitals get poor grades from Consumer Reports for stopping infections
A recent article published in the Seattle Times details how Seattle-area hospitals fared in recent a Consumer Reports analysis of a hospital’s ability to prevent patients from acquiring infections.