A surgeon from one of the leading research university hospitals has presented data that lists medical mistakes as the third largest cause of death in this country. He reports that hospital errors and other medical blunders in Illinois and throughout the nation have caused the deaths of 250,000 annually. The surgeon has petitioned the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to add medical errors to the leading causes of death list. However, the CDC contends that these types of errors are not consistently named on death certificates.
Another board-certified doctor has written a book on malpractice issues and the ways patients are at risk in the health care system. He cites several common errors that patients experience when they have a hospital stay. One error that occurs frequently is having a foreign object remain in a patient’s body following a surgical procedure. Items often left inside someone’s body include surgical sponges, scissors, clamps and needles. This most often occurs during abdominal surgeries.
The physician also contends that doctors sometimes just make mistakes due to incompetence or negligence. He states that doctors typically have large egos, and patients fuel this by thinking that their physicians are not capable of errors. But he reports that most professionals within their industry could easily name an incompetent doctor.
Another risk to one’s health in a hospital is exposure to surgical smoke, the result of electrical tools used in the operating room. The National Institutes of Health equate exposure to this smoke to smoking 30 unfiltered cigarettes a day. Finally, ordering medical tests a patient does not need creates stress and increases risks of potential problems.
Hospital errors are possible any time Illinois residents and their family members must be admitted for care. When an error occurs that results in unexpected sickness or injury, physicians and hospitals may be held accountable. An experienced personal injury attorney can help patients file a medical malpractice lawsuit to seek compensation for the pain and suffering resulting from hospital errors.
Source: The Huffington Post, “Here Are Some Scary Things That Can Happen To You In A Hospital“, Ann Brenoff, March 7, 2017