Florida Injury Lawyer Blog
Medical malpractice cases in Hialeah and other South Florida communities often occur because a healthcare practitioner is negligent in providing a high standard of care. While most health care professionals go out of their way to provide the best care possible for their patients, in some cases doctors and other professionals are negligent. When this happens, misdiagnosis in Hialeah as well as surgery errors and treatment errors are the result. In many cases, these situations are caused by:
1) Poor communication. In many cases, poor communication – both written and spoken – between pharmacies, doctors, and other medical professions can lead to pharmacy errors in Hialeah as well as other errors. For example, when doctors fail to correctly note surgery sites, surgical site errors can occur. When doctors are negligent in communicating symptoms and issues to specialists, misdiagnosis can result.
2) Poor policies at a clinic or hospital. Some clinics and hospitals have poor policies that can result in medical negligence. For example, many hospitals have reduced staff during weekends and in the evenings, so emergency patients brought injuring these times may face longer wait times and may also experience complications due to the hospital’s decision to understaff during specific periods of time. Poor policies regarding patient admission, communication, staffing, and other issues can also result in misdiagnoses and other medical problems.
3) Fatigue. Doctors and healthcare professionals often work long, hard hours. Unfortunately, working long hours without adequate rest can lead to fatigue that is serious enough to impair judgment. Recent studies have suggested that medical interns in fact face a higher risk of car accidents because they are so fatigued after work. There’s adequate research to show that fatigued driving leads to car accidents in Hialeah and across the country. By the same token, fatigued work by healthcare professionals may be more likely to lead to errors. Unfortunately, when medical professionals make errors, the results can claim a patient’s life.
4) Issues with training. Medical professionals undergo years of schooling as well as in-hospital training. When medical professionals do not receive adequate training concerning new equipment, hospital policies, and other issues, they can make mistakes which lead to misdiagnosis and other problems that lead to injuries and complications for patients.
5) Distraction. Medical professionals often work in high stress environments, and this is especially true for emergency room staff. When staff allow themselves to be distracted, however, they can easily cause an injury to a patient. Distraction can lead to wrong surgical site errors, pharmacy errors, misdiagnosis, and other issues.
6) Understaffing. Lack of adequate staff can make it harder for patients to get adequate care, and this can lead to complications and injuries. Clinics and hospitals have an obligation to provide quality staff but also enough staff to keep patients safe.
Do you think you have a medical malpractice claim in Hialeah or anywhere in South Florida? Get a free case evaluation from the Flaxman Law Group to find out for sure. Your free, no obligation consultation with the Flaxman Law Group can help you understand Florida laws that may affect your case and can help you understand your legal rights.