Small mistakes can have huge consequences, and medical malpractice is far more common than many people realize. It's estimated that one out of every 10 patients will suffer medical harm, and 50% of those incidents are due to preventable mistakes. That's not just...
Many modern treatment plans rely heavily on prescription medication. Patients typically defer to their doctor's expertise when choosing a treatment regimen. They may be unaware of how common prescribing errors actually are. Doctors can be negligent when recommending...
Medical malpractice can take many different forms and generally revolves around negligent mistakes being made by medical professionals. These could include doctors, surgeons, nurses and other members of the staff. In some cases, medical malpractice is an issue of a...
A rare but serious condition, cauda equina syndrome (CES) affects the bundle of nerves at the base of the spinal cord. When these nerves become compressed, patients often experience severe back pain, numbness, bladder or bowel dysfunction and even permanent...
Medication errors can cause complications for patients. A large percentage of medications require self-administration. Patients fill their prescription at a pharmacy and then follow medical instructions. People who worry about medication errors may feel safer when...
Patients who are having a medical procedure may hear the healthcare team say they’re taking a time out, which may seem counterintuitive in these situations. Taking a time out isn’t something negative. Instead, it’s a safety pause that’s taken right before a procedure...
A woman who goes into labor assumes that the process will happen without any major issues. Once the woman meets the labor requirements for a delivery in the hospital, she’ll go into the labor unit for an evaluation. She may not leave that unit until after the baby is...
It’s no secret that doctors work long hours, sometimes without much sleep. This is especially true for those who work in emergency rooms and who perform complex surgeries. At some point, the long hours and stress will result in burnout. All doctors are bound by the...
Discovering your baby has cerebral palsy can be devastating as parents. Once you have got past the initial shock of the news, you might start to wonder why it happened to your baby out of all the babies in the world. One question you might have is whether something...
Next time you are in a hospital, look around at the medical team. You’ll probably notice that many of them look tired. It might be the black circles under their eyes that give it away, the half-hidden yawn or just the general air of weariness. But sure enough, doctors...