Victims Create Hospital Safety Resources to Prevent Medical Malpractice
At the Consumerinjurylawyers.com blog, we wish to make consumers aware of helpful resources that will protect and inform them before they undergo medical care. Additionally, those who feel that they have suffered harm due to medical malpractice need to be informed of consumer-driven outlets that will educate patients on possible recourses. Patients are no longer helpless regarding hospital safety resources, thanks to the work of several victims of medical malpractice. These survivors and family members have taken to the Internet to inform potential patients on possible indicators of medical errors and counsel others suffering due to medical malpractice. This patient-initiated grassroots safety movement has already had a profound impact on hospital safety policy by encouraging doctors to be aware, cautious, and upfront regarding patient care.
Often in taking the form of online communities and blogs, patient-created hospital safety resources provide comradery, medical, and legal advice on avoiding and treating medical error. Blogs such as josieking.com, Consumers Advancing Patient Safety, patientadvocare.blogspot.com, and Persons United Limiting Substandards and Errors in Health Care, were started by people who have lost loved ones or themselves been injured by substandard health care. One in 10 patients admitted to hospitals world-wide will suffer some type of preventable harm. These patient safety blogs aim to lower that number through their support.
Patient advocates encourage consumers to choose doctors with electronic medical recording systems, pick physicians that do specialized operations frequently rather than sporadically, and go to hospitals whose spiritual beliefs are in line with the patient’s. Parents of hospitalized children should specify requests for their child’s surgeries in writing, and ask the doctor to sign the written request. After obtaining care, hospital safety blogs request that patients see their primary care providers immediately after being discharged from the hospital. These seemingly simple, but important, requests could be crucial in preventing and detecting medical malpractice, and aiding in malpractice litigation.
Such hospital safety resources are beneficial to a broader audience than just patients. Patient-safety movements also provide tips for medical practitioners to improve safety, which could ultimately save physicians billions of dollars in additional hospitalization, litigation claims, and medical expenses. Because programs can be so financially beneficial to care providers, doctors have internalized the suggestions of patient safety advocates. The New York Times has reported that hospitals who end a “defend and deny” policy can drastically reduce lawsuits, and in the process, prevent patients from baring the emotional and financial cost of medical mistakes.
But medical malpractice is still prevalent, and patients must keep themselves informed in order to prevent and receive compensation for medical malpractice. Consumers should look at consumer safety resources before their loved ones or they undergo medical care, and especially if they notice any red flags during treatment. To obtain further information on a New York medical malpractice lawyer, to investigate a possible malpractice claim, please contact us.