Over the past year, the use of telemedicine increased dramatically. This has been the case in Massachusetts and in the country, in general. Unfortunately, there are certain risks associated with telemedicine, including medical malpractice. If your medical provider breaches the expected standard of care during a telehealth appointment, you or a loved one can end up suffering harm. As a result, you may have grounds to file a medical malpractice lawsuit.
Why has medical malpractice increased with telemedicine?
A situation of medical malpractice can arise if a doctor, nurse or other healthcare professional breaches the standard duty of care they owe a patient and that patient is harmed as a direct result. As a patient, you can be harmed in various ways, including misdiagnosis, pain and suffering, hardship, disability, loss of income and more. In the unique situation of telemedicine, it’s easier for problems to occur.
What are the biggest concerns with telemedicine?
Telemedicine presents unique challenges versus seeing your doctor in their office. Over the past year, regulations set forth by the Department of Health and Human Services were relaxed per HIPAA to allow doctors to engage in telemedicine visits with their patients through a variety of platforms. This made it easier for your personal protected health information to be leaked, a violation of HIPAA. However, many misdiagnoses occurred with the rise of telemedicine as well, causing harm to patients. Patients may not have been effectively or even properly treated.
What should you do?
If you or a loved one was harmed because of medical malpractice due to telemedicine, an attorney can help. An attorney with experience in medical malpractice cases could assist you in preparing your lawsuit to ensure you and your loved one get the compensation you deserve.