Low-Rated Hospitals More Dangerous For Patients

We know that the last thing on your mind when you need emergency medical care is to get on the internet and figure out what ratings the local hospitals have. You just want to get treatment for your injury or illness. However, a recent story in USA Today tells us that patients have a higher risk of dying from medical mistakes at lower rated hospitals.

At The Weitz Firm, LLC, we are dedicated to helping people who have been victims of medical errors. When you need a medical malpractice lawyer in Philadelphia, call us today.

What About A Hospital’s Rating?

The USA Today article we want to discuss today focused on data from 2,600 US hospitals since 2016. They have found that some of the country’s most dangerous hospitals have become even riskier for patients.

A non-profit called Leapfrog Group issues grades to hospitals based on safety and quality ranging from A to F. The CEO of the group, Leah Binder, says that nearly all of the mistakes they track are preventable. “These are avoidable deaths – the deaths that are accidental or the result of a mistake made in the hospital,” she said.

What kind of medical mistakes are we talking about?

There is a range of things that can go wrong when the medical professionals in a hospital or doctor’s office setting are careless or negligent. We know that, according to Johns Hopkins researchers, medical mistakes are the third leading cause of death in the US. They often occur due to:

• Medication Errors: Medication mistakes harm an estimated 1.5 million people each year in this country and can happen when a patient receives the wrong medication, the wrong dosage of their medication, or simply does not get their medication at all.
• Surgical Mistakes: You may have heard of “never events,” things like having the wrong body part being operated on, patients receiving the wrong surgery, or surgical instruments left behind. These are things that should never occur in the healthcare setting.
• Diagnosing Mistakes: Diagnosing errors affects around 12 million people a year and are the most harmful type of medical errors for patients. They can lead to delayed treatment of a major injury or illness or even lead to no treatment at all.
• Infections: Approximately one in every 30 hospital patients in the US acquires an infection. All hospital staff should follow strict infection control policies to protect patients.

Moving Forward From Here

You do not have to continue to be the victim in the aftermath of a medical mistake. If the negligence or carelessness of a healthcare professional has caused you or a loved one harm, The Weitz Firm, LLC is ready to step in and fight for you.

Our knowledgeable and experienced team will get to the bottom of what happened so we can secure the compensation you deserve. This can include:

• Coverage of all medical expenses related to the mistake, including future medical expenses
• Recovery of lost income if you are unable to work
• Pain and suffering/loss of enjoyment of life damages
• Loss of consortium
• Punitive damages against the responsible parties

If you need a Philadelphia medical malpractice attorney, you can contact us for a free consultation by clicking here or calling 267-587-6240.