We like to think that healthcare providers place their primary focus on their patients’ health. However, the truth is that American health care is also business. Accordingly, the people working in it keep an eye to their bottom line. The problem is that the bottom...
Medical Malpractice
How do delayed diagnoses happen?
In a modern hospital setting, it is possible to run into hurdles that could potentially create large problems for staff and patients alike. This includes understaffed shifts and overworked staff. In hospitals with such problems, what issues often happen? And what, if...
Can nurse exhaustion lead to malpractice?
The medical world is a fast-paced, hectic environment. Especially in recent years, the pressure on those in the profession has grown and remained immense. Unfortunately, this can cause nurses to experience exhaustion that may actually contribute to negligence and...
Does quality of medical care suffer later in the day?
Many internal and external factors impact the quality of care a patient receives when visiting the doctor. How much time the doctor spends with a patient during the visit is one such factor. Research shows that the time of day a patient visits a doctor is another....
3 factors that could lead to medical misdiagnosis
Individuals are often frightened and intimidated when visiting a doctor’s office. They are likely either in pain or worried about an unusual condition, so they seek a professional opinion and reliable course of treatment. Unfortunately, a missed or delayed diagnosis...
The most common ways providers miss kidney disease
While kidney disease can cause life-threatening complications, health care providers often fail to diagnose this chronic condition. Over time, the untreated disease can cause nerve damage, hypertension and fluid in the lungs. Review the most common reasons why serious...
Common factors in the misdiagnosis of kidney disease
Kidney disease is one illness that doctors commonly misdiagnose. If left untreated, kidney disease often leads to kidney failure, which requires dialysis or a transplant. There is a much better chance of success if doctors diagnose kidney disease in the early stages....
The importance of following up with your doctor
Communication between you and your doctor can serve many purposes including protecting you from malpractice. Regular discussions about your health can encourage accountability from your doctor. Follow-up appointments, in particular, can give you clarification on...
How to advocate for yourself at the doctor’s office
If you are not feeling well, a trip to the doctor should help. What if this is not the case? When you feel like a doctor is not listening to your complaints, you may need to take a different approach. Medical malpractice may occur if the doctor does not follow an...
How can understaffing lead to delayed diagnoses?
Understaffing in hospitals and other medical facilities serves as a major issue in modern American medicine. This problem is not new, and it continues to worsen as time goes on. Unfortunately, patients feel the repercussions of understaffing more acutely now than ever...