We all depend on our doctors, nurses and medical technicians to provide the best quality of care. Unfortunately, far too many people from Hawaii to Florida have lost their lives due to medical malpractice. According to a study by the British Medical Journal, medical errors are the third leading cause of death in the nation, trailing only heart disease and cancer. The study indicates nearly 251,000 death occur annually as a result of medical malpractice. Hawaii is no exception. If you do the math, it comes out to approximately 700 deaths per day nationally.
Leading causes of Medical Malpractice in Hawaii
Medical malpractice is a broad term that encompasses so many different factors. It can be the result of a botched medical procedure or operation. It can result from the misdiagnosis of a treatable medical condition. But regardless of the medical error, they all have one thing in common. Medical malpractice is the result of negligence. Here are some of the most common types of medical malpractice in Hawaii.
- Improper administration of anesthesia
- Injury caused by surgical error
- Failure to treat
- Operation on the wrong body part
- Delayed diagnosis or misdiagnosis
- Improper post-operative care
- Improper interpretation of test and imaging results
- Incorrect prescriptions
- Wrongful order of medical tests
- Failure to order tests
- Poor cleanliness leading to infections
What Can Be Done?
The reporting of medical errors is currently a sensitive issue in the medical industry. The Centers For Disease Control and Prevention presently does not require hospitals or medical facilities to report medical errors in its billing codes. The first step, to repair the process is for the CDC to update and change its reporting requirements. This would help verify whether a doctor or medical technician has reported whether a medical mistake caused a death. The current rules only allow physicians to report the underlying cause of death, regardless of whether the condition led to death. Due to these flawed procedures, many cases of medical malpractice in Hawaii go unreported. Because these mistakes are never made available to the mainstream public, efforts to improve the system are never made a priority.
How a Hawaii Catastrophic Injury Lawyer Can Help
Doctors are human just like anyone else. But we often count on them to perform extraordinary things. When the life of a loved one has been permanently altered due to a medical mistake, it is vital to have a Hawaii catastrophic injury lawyer on your side with a significant track record of getting results. Catastrophic injuries do not just go away. Conditions, such as paralysis or the improper amputation of a limb can leave a patient with permanent physical damages that will require medical attention for life. It is important to recover the money needed to pay for these damages to help patients live the dignity and quality of life they deserve. To learn more, contact attorney Jed Kurzban and discover how a Hawaii medical malpractice lawyer can help.