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While most patients receive life-saving care after a hospital visit, some may be injured unnecessarily due to negligence. If a hospital employee makes a mistake or fails to provide a reasonable standard of care, the hospital may be liable for the patient’s injuries.
Every year, more than 250,000 Americans die because of a medical mistake. Often, these mistakes can be considered forms of medical negligence or medical malpractice.
Medical negligence refers to an error that a medical professional (such as an RN, doctor, and similar staff) commits unintentionally. An example would be administering the wrong medication to a patient. Medical malpractice is an act that a medical professional commits in which they knew or should have known could cause harm to a patient. This may include a doctor recommending an unnecessary medical procedure, even if they knew the benefits would not outweigh the risks to the patient.
In 2017, there were 86 hospital acquired injuries per 1,000 discharges. While this number has declined over recent years, it is still high given the often weak immune systems and vulnerable health of the patients who suffer from them. These acquired injuries range in severity, with some proving to be fatal.
Understaffed hospitals, lack of proper safety protocols, and unqualified hires may all result in a greater chance that patients will suffer from a hospital-acquired injury. If a hospital or similar healthcare facility created an inherently unsafe environment for patients, they may be held liable through a medical malpractice lawsuit.
Below are the four most common types of hospital-related injuries.
Patients may experience severe side effects and complications from the medications they are given in the hospital. Adverse drug events may occur because a medical professional prescribed too little or too much. Complications may also occur if a medical professional does not consider how a drug will interact with the other medications a patient is taking. Sometimes the drug itself is inherently dangerous.
Pressure ulcers and injuries, commonly known as bedsores, are types of skin lesions that often occur when a patient is confined to a bed or wheelchair. If a patient is not moved regularly, these painful sores can develop. Some sores can take months or even longer to properly heal. If not treated, pressure ulcers can become infected.
Hospital patients are often fall risks as they work to regain their strength following an illness or injury. Between 700,00 and 1 million hospital patients suffer from fall-related injuries every year. Hospitals should be properly staffed so that patients are monitored at all times to ensure that falls do not occur. Assistive devices and railings should also be readily available.
According to the CDC, approximately 75% of all hospital-acquired urinary tract infections occur in patients with urinary catheters. Infections are more likely to occur when a catheter is used for a prolonged period of time. The area around the catheter opening should be cleaned regularly and the catheter should be emptied regularly.
We rely on drugs and medical devices to improve our quality of life, but sometimes companies market unsafe products that may cause terrible — sometimes irreversible — side effects.
If you’ve been injured by a medication, medical device, or medical error, you may be eligible to file a lawsuit. Find out if you qualify.