The notes entered on medical records by physicians and other clinicians offer insights into their opinion about patients' behavior and the validity of their complaints. In Massachusetts and elsewhere, the attitudes of healthcare professionals can impact the quality...
Medical Malpractice
Bad bedside manner and medical malpractice
When you think of medical malpractice, you often imagine cases where a doctor makes a mistake that leads to harm to the patient. However, it can take other forms beyond medical errors, including issues related to bedside manner. Bedside manner refers to a doctor's...
The real risk of outsourced ER doctors
Some hospitals in Massachusetts try to save money wherever they can, and sometimes, that seems to be at patients' expense. One common example of this is the practice of not hiring as many doctors for their ERs and instead outsourcing them. When a private equity firm...
Handling medical misdiagnosis in Massachusetts
When sick, you rely on medical professionals in Massachusetts to find out what's wrong with you and prescribe the necessary treatment. Unfortunately, as a recent study has shown, misdiagnoses are far too common in U.S. emergency rooms. Prevalence of medical...
The top three misdiagnosed medical conditions
A 2019 report from The Betsy Lehman Center for Patient Safety revealed startling patient statistics. The Center found that more than 60,000 patients in Massachusetts had suffered from medical errors. Misdiagnosis can lead to harm or even death for patients. Claims of...
Never events are serious and preventable medical errors
Never events are medical errors made in hospitals in Massachusetts and around the country that are extremely serious and usually preventable. The term "never event" was first used in 2001, which was two years after the Institute of Medicine released a report that drew...
Medical malpractice and the failed treatment of chronic disease
Regardless of the many well-trained and caring healthcare professionals in Massachusetts and across the nation, medical errors still occur. Unfortunately, a deep-rooted healthcare system promoting treatment over prevention often fails to prevent avoidable chronic...
Does pernicious medical culture lead to malpractice?
Without competent doctors and medical advances, most people wouldn't experience the health benefits they have. Yet, have you ever felt that your doctor in Massachusetts didn't listen to your needs? Did not listening to your concerns lead to serious medical...
Medical malpractice claims against the military
Massachusetts residents who serve in the military often seek medical treatment from a military hospital. While past legal precedents denied servicemembers the right to sue for medical malpractice, the National Defense Authorization Act changed the longstanding...
Operating room errors and malpractice
In Massachusetts and across the United States, surgeons sometimes perform wrong procedures, operate on wrong body parts or even perform surgeries on the wrong patients. These "wrong-site, wrong-procedure, wrong-patient errors" (WSPEs) constitute ample reasons for most...