There is a growing problem inside hospitals, one that most people do not know about and hospitals do not like talking about. It kills more individuals than car accidents, strokes, respiratory disease, diabetes, and suicide. In fact, the only two causes of death that trump this issue are cancer and heart disease. This killer is known as the preventable medical error.
Killer Doctors, Nurses, and Hospitals
Most people go to the hospital to get better, but each year, 251,000 U.S. citizens die at the hands of the doctors, nurses, and hospitals that are meant to heal them. It is not because their injuries are too severe to treat or because they are simply too far gone. In fact, a large majority of these patients walk in with relatively minor problems, but because of substandard care, as many as 700 patients per day will never walk out again.
For the most part, these deaths are not caused intentionally. Quite the contrary, in fact. They happen because a nurse gave the wrong drug, a doctor mixed up the charts or missed critical telltale signs of a serious condition, a nurse or doctor worked while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, because someone failed to wash their hands between patients, or because a miscommunication between providers led to the patient being wrongly treated. They are basic and preventable mistakes, but no one wants to take responsibility.
The Issue No One Wants to Talk About
It is concerning enough that so many people die from negligence and error, but it is downright deplorable that no one wants to talk about it. Doctors and nurses are allowed to continue practicing, even after making egregious mistakes. If they are investigated (and not all of them are), they are not required to tell their patients that they are being disciplined by their respective licensing boards. Hospitals are able to hide behind lawyers and arbitration clauses to keep what happens inside away from the eye of the public. Even the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention remains eerily quiet about the issue.
We Will Not Back Down or Be Silent
The general public has a right to know their risks. They have a right to expect competent medical care, and to be informed when a doctor, nurse, or hospital cannot provide it. When all else fails, victims and their families have a right to receive fair compensation for the injuries and wrongful death that they or their loved ones have experienced. This is why we advocate for the public, why we refuse to stay silent.
At Hurley McKenna & Mertz, P.C. we care about our community, and we refuse to back down from the malpractice insurance companies and teams of lawyers employed by hospitals. We are here for the victims, fighting for their rights, helping them pursue the compensation they deserve. Contact a Chicago, Illinois medical malpractice attorney willing to advocate for you and your loved ones. Call 312-553-4900 and schedule your free initial consultation today.
Sources:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2016/05/03/researchers-medical-errors-now-third-leading-cause-of-death-in-united-states/
