The public sees New York hospitals as safe places where they are taken care of by medical professionals. However, there are cases in which those very medical professionals end up harming patients. The fact is that humans are prone to making errors, even the best of professionals. Some of those errors are preventable, and that is where the problem lies. According to studies, one in ten patients will be the recipient of a medical error, with 12% of those people either being permanently disabled or dying from the error.
The disturbing numbers behind medical errors
Over the past few decades, medical facilities have taken steps to reduce the number of medical errors occurring. From rapid response teams to registries that compare various kinds of harm that take place at a variety of hospitals, the steps take many forms. Due to the complexity of the medical system, though, there’s no single way to reduce the number of errors, meaning that medical professionals need to continue to be vigilant. According to the Institute of Medicine, over 98,000 Americans have died each year due to medical errors occurring within hospitals. Dr. Albert Wu has stated that those numbers have not changed in the 20 years that this was found to be a problem.
No silver bullet?
According to many experts, there is simply no silver bullet to reduce the number of medical errors occurring within hospitals. However, that does mean nothing can be done by doctors and medical facilities as a whole. Careful attention to following strict procedures and having open communication is one of the best ways to reduce not only medical errors but medical malpractice lawsuits harming hospitals across the nation.
If your medical facility or staff have experienced a medical malpractice lawsuit, it is important to immediately obtain the services of an attorney. An attorney may provide you with legal advice regarding your case and what type of legal routes are available to you.