At the 7th Annual World Patient Safety, Science and Technology Summit, we learned of a new tool that can be used to help train healthcare professionals. This tool is from the Patient Safety Movement and aims to reduce preventable patient deaths.
According to the article, the Patient Safety Movement has made great strides since its founding in 2013. They set a goal a few years ago to have zero preventable deaths by the year 2020. They say more than 90,000 patients who may have otherwise died due to medical errors in 2018 were saved because of their systems.
The safety curriculum is just one tool that healthcare professionals can use to prevent major medical mistakes from happening. At The Weitz Firm, LLC, we know that these mistakes are devastating to the victims. If you need a Philadelphia legal malpractice attorney, contact us today. Our knowledgeable and experienced team will work to secure the compensation you deserve.
What Happens?
There have to be more systems in place that work to prevent medical mistakes from happening. If we look at the numbers, we can honestly say that medical mistakes are an epidemic that is the third leading cause of death in the country. If there was anything else that killed as many as 250,000 people a year (some estimates put that number much higher), a national emergency would be declared.
It is even estimated that up to five million people survive medical mistakes. It is the survivors and their families who have to live with the often life-long consequences.
We have covered how these mistakes are made extensively before. They are often made when:
- Diagnosing patients in the emergency room. ERs are often crowded and the staff is likely overworked. Johns Hopkins researchers tell us that these errors can lead to a person receiving delayed treatment or maybe not getting the treatment they need at all.
- All too often, patients experience medication mistakes. This can happen both inside the hospital and when a patient is discharged. In the hospital, a patient could be given the wrong medication, the wrong dosage, or not given their correct medication at all. At home, pharmacy dispensing errors can be dangerous and a patient should always make sure their prescription is filled correctly.
Other major problems come in the form of healthcare-acquired infections, surgical errors, and more. Most of these injuries and fatalities are preventable.
If You Are A Victim
The time to act is now if you or a loved one have been the victim of a medical mistake. While we realize that most errors made by healthcare professionals are not intentional, they still lead to lasting consequences. At The Weitz Firm, LLC, we want to help.
Our team will work to secure compensation for the following:
- Your current and future medical expenses
- Loss of enjoyment of life damages
- Lost income and benefits if you miss work
- Punitive damages
When you need a Philadelphia medical malpractice attorney, you can contact us for a free consultation by clicking here or calling 267-587-6240.
