Medical Errors Persist

PATIENTS HAVE THE RIGHT TO ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT TREATMENT

A new Survey released by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (in conjunction with NORC at University of Chicago) reveals that 21% of Americans experienced medical errors personally.

Beyond that 31% of respondents reported that someone whose medical care they were personally involved with experienced a medical error (read the press release here).  These numbers suggest that one in five Americans are dealing with injuries, additional medical treatment, and permanent problems following medical treatment.  While the political debate focuses on the cost of care and health insurance, Commentators often take the quality of care for granted.  For those who have not spent a great deal of time in hospitals and doctors’ offices, it is easy to imagine that the expensive healthcare system in this country delivers great care efficiently and consistently.  For those who have had to get multiple tests or even gone under the knife, they tell a different story–like those who responded to the survey.

The good news is that more than 75% of Americans are not reporting problems with medical care.  The bad news is that 21% is simply way too high.  Medical errors are often complicated by the fallout: few doctors explain that they made an error to patients, there are often many more questions than answers, and patients can find themselves out in the cold with new problems and unexplained symptoms without solutions.  It is one reason why Coogan Gallagher gets phone calls asking about medical treatment.  Virtually every call we get about medical negligence is from someone who has already tried to ask the doctors, nurses, and social workers what happened and what can be done next.  When they do not get answers, they call us.

Ultimately, there is no perfect system for delivering medical care.  High pressure, time constraints, and financial limitations combined with fatigue, carelessness, and simple mistakes all mean that medical errors will happen.  They always will.  But when you experience a medical error, you deserve answers.  Call us at Coogan Gallagher  Our mission is to provide answers and counsel when you feel like there is no one else to turn to and the explanation you get is simply not good enough.

If you feel you or a loved one has experienced negligent medical care, call Coogan Gallagher.  Also, here are some suggestions for immediate steps you can take:

• Keep track of the physicians you saw, the clinics you went to, and hospital treatment;
• Keep track of dates of surgeries and key tests that are done (MRI, CT Scan, X-Ray, Scope Procedures, etc.);
• Keep track of the medications that are administered;
• Ask the nurses and aides for details about the procedures that are done;
• Ask for copies of medical records;
• Photograph pressure wounds, surgical wounds, etc.;
• Call the lawyers at Coogan Gallagher

James E. Coogan