Thousands of patients across the country go to hospitals each day for surgical procedures, and here in New Jersey surgical patients enjoy access to some of the nation's best hospitals and doctors through medical facilities in the Tri-state area. While many patients have fears about the underlying reasons that they must undergo surgery, few anticipate the very real possibility that mistakes during surgery will leave them worse off than before the procedures.
Medical economics: Do hospitals profit from surgical errors?
New Jersey residents will find it interesting to learn that a recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that hospitals may profit from the surgical errors and mistakes they make.
Are robotic surgical errors on the rise?
The term surgery invokes images of bright lights over a patient with nurses and doctors in surgical gowns, gloves and masks hovering over a patient about to undergo a procedure. This traditional imagery of surgery may change as robotic surgery gains acceptance for minimally invasive surgeries in numerous fields. However, despite the use of robots to perform surgery, the risk of mistakes during surgery is still very real.
Medical malpractice suit filed against hospital and surgeons
Most patients go into surgery cognizant that surgical intervention carries with it some risk. Nevertheless, doctors, hospital staff and surgeons have an on-going duty to provide a reasonable standard of care. Negligent healthcare provides may be held liable for providing sub-standard care, lack of informed consent, mistakes during surgery and other errors.
Surgeon fatigue increases chances of surgical error
Anyone who has seen ER or Grey's Anatomy knows that doctors often work long hours. While the practice may be common, there is concern among some safety advocates that fatigue contributes to unnecessary and preventable medical errors. In fact, a number of studies conducted over the last several decades suggest that sleep deprivation can lead serious surgical errors. The news has some advocates calling for duty hour regulations.
Surgical items left in patients still an issue
When surgery is necessary to save a life, healthcare providers are expected by families of the patient and the patient to take all reasonable to steps to ensure that an error does not occur. Despite efforts by hospitals to minimize surgical errors such as pre-post count of sponges to keep track of them, sometimes are they are still left in patients and, cause harm.
Surgical sponge most common item left in a patient after surgery
The word surgery automatically conjures up images of an operating room with surgical tools, sterile equipment, doctors and nurses hovering over the patient undergoing a procedure. Most New Jersey and New York residents hope they will never need surgery, but there may come a time when an emergency procedure may be needed to save a person's life, or a planned procedure may be needed to tackle a chronic health concern.
Distractions in operating room may result in more errors
Anyone who has faced or has been around a family member about to undergo a surgical procedure knows the anxiety the patient and the family may feel. Patients and their families expect that the surgeon has experience with the procedure, and operating room staff is well-rested and will not lose concentration or be distracted during the procedure. However, according to a new study, distraction and disruptions in the OR and inexperience can cause surgeons to make surgical errors.
Distractions in operating room may result in more errors
Anyone who has faced or has been around a family member about to undergo a surgical procedure knows the anxiety the patient and the family may feel. Patients and their families expect that the surgeon has experience with the procedure, and operating room staff is well-rested and will not lose concentration or be distracted during the procedure. However, according to a new study, distraction and disruptions in the OR and inexperience can cause surgeons to make surgical errors.
Kidney donor dies due to surgical error
Advances in modern medicine and surgical techniques have enabled doctors to treat various life-threatening health conditions and diseases, as well as perform incredible tissue and organ transplants that can prolong the life of patients. Despite all the advances, medical and surgical errors still occur during treatment or surgical procedures putting the very patients under their care at risk.
