Category: Medical Negligence
Medical Transplant System Errors Caused by Malpractice
Organ donations and transplants save tens of thousands of lives every year across the United States, according to the Association of Organ Procurement Organizations. However, they can also cause significant health problems if doctors are not careful because screening is required to ensure an organ is compatible with its recipient. Other…
Volo Man Dies After Routine Dental Surgery – Too Much Anesthesia
In one of the most devastating instances of alleged dental malpractice, a 51-year-old veteran and father from Volo died shortly after a tooth extraction surgery at his dentist’s office in Gurnee because he was given too much anesthesia. The Lake County State Attorney’s Office is investigating the case to determine…
Physiologic Monitoring Issues
The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations recently reported that clinical alarm response issues are among the top so-called “never” events. This is the case despite the fact that the Joint Commission explained years earlier the need to develop a National Patient Safety Goal for physiologic monitors and alarm…
Overworked and Understaffed Pharmacists Place Patients at Risk
Limited resources and more demands are pushing pharmacists to the brink, according to a new investigative report by NBC News. Pharmacists worry that they will make a fatal error because the public and their employers expect them to handle an unrealistic workload. Reporters spoke with 31 retail pharmacists and pharmacy…
What Medical Errors and Near Misses Can Teach Us About the Healthcare System
Despite the best efforts of healthcare organizations and the people who work for them, medical errors are far more common than anyone would like. Studies show that 10% to 12% of patients experience harm in some form while they are in the hospital. That’s the estimation of Patient Safety Network,…
5 Chicago Hospitals Earn Poor Grades for Patient Safety in a New Report
Five hospitals in Chicago have earned a D grade in a new safety report from The Leapfrog Group, a nonprofit watchdog organization. An analysis from Leapfrog explained that patients at D-grade facilities face a 92 percent greater risk of avoidable death. The five Chicago hospitals that were graded D on…
Lawsuit: Surgeon Removes Woman’s Kidney He Thought Was Tumor
WELLINGTON, Fla. (January 14, 2019) – A Florida woman has filed a lawsuit after having a perfectly healthy kidney removed because her surgeon mistook it for a cancerous tumor. Maureen Pacheco was suffering from back pains from a car accident and was scheduled to have surgery at Wellington Regional to resolve…
Report: Doctors Who Surrender a Medical License in One State May Practice in Another
MILWAUKEE (December 3, 2018) – The surrender of a medical license is often done in the face of overwhelming evidence of unprofessional conduct, such as repeated surgical mishaps. But a recent report by the USA Today Network revealed a license surrender often comes with no restrictions in practicing medicine in…
Doctor Seen on Video Singing and Dancing During Surgery
ATLANTA (June 12, 2018) – A dermatologist who was seen on video dancing to music while performing a surgical procedure has been suspended by the Georgia medical board, which claimed her continued practice “poses a threat to the public health, safety and welfare.” Dr. Windell Davis-Boutte is a dermatologist and director…
Surgeon, Hospital Deny Responsibility in Actor Bill Paxton’s Death
LOS ANGELES (May 4, 2018) – Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and the surgeon who operated on Bill Paxton are denying responsibility for the 61-year-old actor’s sudden death after the family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against them in February. Paxton, best known for his roles in Apollo 13 and Titanic, suffered…
