Every year, countless patients trust that medical professionals will provide them with the best possible care. However, mistakes happen, and the consequences can be devastating.
July is National Medical Malpractice Awareness Month, and it serves to highlight the importance of patient safety, educating the public about their rights, and emphasizing the role of accountability in the American healthcare system.
Throughout this month, we aim to illuminate the complexities of medical malpractice, discuss preventative measures, and provide resources for those seeking justice. In this blog, we explore medical malpractice, from common errors to the legal avenues available for victims and more.
What Is Medical Malpractice?
Medical malpractice occurs when a healthcare professional is negligent or performing under standard practice, which can cause long-term damage. Reports show that $60 million is spent annually on medical malpractice, which equates to around 3% of overall annual healthcare costs.
Common types of medical malpractice include:
- Surgical Errors
- This encompasses a variety of different types of medical malpractice, including anesthesia errors, operating on the wrong body part, leaving the surgical tools inside of the body, or negligent post-operative care.
In the United States, nearly 400,000 people are hospitalized for preventable harm annually. Surgical errors are the third leading cause of death nationally.
- Misdiagnosis
- Being correctly diagnosed is an important part of patient safety. If a patient is misdiagnosed, this may lead to the prescription of a medication that could be unnecessary and harmful to them.
Research shows that misdiagnosis makes up for 14% of medical errors, making it a significant issue that needs to be addressed. Many factors may lead to a healthcare professional misdiagnosing a patient, including improper testing, lack of time and attention to the patient, delayed diagnosis, and failure to follow up with the patient.
- Birth Injuries
- At Beam Legal Team, our legal professionals specialize in birth injury cases. In the United States, around 30,000 babies are born with an injury at birth. Although there are many different types of birth injuries, some more severe than others, over 80% of birth injuries are considered moderate to severe.
Complications during delivery make up a significant part of birth injuries. These complications may include excessive bleeding, fetal distress, poor positioning of the baby, or negligence from the professionals.
Raising Awareness
The National Medical Malpractice Advocacy Association (NMMAA) designated July as National Medical Malpractice Awareness Month. The NMMAA is a nonpartisan civil rights organization dedicated to ending medical malpractice.
Since its founding in 2013, the NMMAA has addressed many of the underlying causes of medical malpractice in the United States and participated in several initiatives to push for change.
As supporters, there are different actions we can take to help raise awareness on the issue of medical malpractice:
- · Research
The National Medical Malpractice Advocacy Association works hard to illuminate the magnitude of medical malpractice. By understanding the facts and frequency of the issue, we can all be more aware of the standards of care we should expect.
Check out their website to learn more about the different kinds of medical malpractice and the many initiatives they take to push for change in the medical field.
- Advocate
It is important to be an advocate for yourself and others when it comes to healthcare. If you feel that your healthcare provider is not properly treating you, is dismissing your feelings, or is being negligent, speak up.
Failure to properly treat a patient is an issue that is far too common and by speaking up and advocating for yourself, you are more likely to receive the proper treatment and avoid a misdiagnosis.
- Seek Representation
Here at Beam Legal Team, we are committed to bringing justice to every victim of medical malpractice. As a firm that specializes in birth injuries, we are here to provide you with the proper resources and services to bring you compensation and peace of mind.
We have more than 40 years of experience with birth injury cases and have built a team of knowledgeable and experienced legal professionals.
Get Beam Legal Team on Your Side Today
Contact us today for a free case consultation and speak to one of our legal professionals. We’ll answer any of your questions and support you during this difficult time. Learn more about many of our past cases, and see how we provided justice to victims of birth injury and medical malpractice.
