Category: Medical Error | Page 2 | CHH Law

4,000 avoidable surgical errors made every year, researchers say

Whether a surgery is considered to be a simple or complicated procedure, Chicago surgeons and medical workers who are responsible for prepping patients, performing the operations and caring for patients afterwards must be focused on providing quality care at all times. Any surgery comes with risks, but doctors and nurses can lower these risks significantly […]
Medical Error

Court: Affair is medical malpractice, doctor liable

Doctors must follow the acceptable standard of care for their profession. When they neglect to follow the standard of care or act in a way that deviates from the standard and their actions/inactions cause harm to a patient, they can be held accountable through a medical malpractice lawsuit. While med mal laws vary from state […]
Medical Error

Mixed reviews still surround electronic medical record systems

Doctors and patients in Illinois may greatly appreciate what technology can do for them in medical situations, but it can also create a number of problems — even medical errors — that could jeopardize patient safety. Electronic medical records have a range of benefits, including a user-friendly process that is easily accessible by medical professionals, […]
Medical Error

Meningitis outbreak hits Illinois: What about the victims?

As of Monday, there is one case of fungal meningitis in Illinois and nearly 212 across the country. Twelve people have died and we can expect this number to rise. The meningitis is not contagious, but more than 14,000 people likely received injections of the drug. The outbreak of fungal meningitis is linked to a […]
Medical Error

Johns Hopkins study documents vast extent of ICU diagnosis errors

When a patient is in critical condition and needs urgent medical oversight, hours or days spent in the intensive care unit can be a terribly stressful time for family members. When that person’s condition worsens due to an unknown medical condition as time slips away, loved ones may stand by feeling helpless and frustrated. A […]
Medical Error

Experts say patient radiation exposure too high, often unnecessary

Medical malpractice is often associated with doctors, nurses or hospitals making errors during surgery, birth or when prescribing medications. Chicago patients often don’t think that anything could go wrong when doctors perform tests and screenings, unless the results of these tests are read inaccurately. However, some patient safety advocates argue that doctors could actually be […]
Medical Error

Dental Malpractice: Unsafe Sedation Harming Some Children

Responsible parents start teaching their children at early ages how to properly care for their teeth, as well as finding reputable pediatric dentists to provide ongoing oral care. Imagine the shock of having your young son or daughter seriously hurt or even killed at the dentist, a place you go to make them healthier. After […]
Medical Error

Report: Low malpractice payouts are no sign of patient safety

A consumer advocacy group, Public Citizen, recently reported that payments for U.S. medical malpractice claims have been dropping steadily for eight years. Payments in 2011 were the lowest on record since 1991. Chicago patients and their families might certainly be inclined to interpret this information as positive news. After all, fewer payments mean fewer instances […]
Medical Error

Study: Doctors’ note-taking habits could hurt Chicago patients

Quality patient care is expected of Chicago health care providers. A correct diagnosis, precise drug prescriptions and careful attention to treatment are all part of doctors’ promised commitments to patients. A medical error in any of these duties could be construed as malpractice and cause harm to patients. Physicians are also expected to communicate effectively […]
Medical Error

FDA investigates operating room fires in U.S. hospitals

After a series of operating room accidents that have involved patients catching on fire, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is working to find a solution to decrease the risk of surgical errors that can lead to fires in the operating room, jeopardizing patient safety. Although operating room fires are preventable, they still occur in […]
Medical Error

Keeping photos in medical records could reduce patient mix-ups

An Illinois surgeon could perform an operation without any errors, a pediatrician could prescribe the correct dose of a medication for a child, and a doctor could accurately diagnose an illness after properly assessing a patient’s symptoms, but all of these incidents could still jeopardize patient safety and lead to medical malpractice. Doctors in Chicago […]
Medical Error

Are surgeons getting enough sleep before performing operations?

Anything could go wrong during surgery at any Chicago hospital. However, patients should never suffer complications or serious injuries during surgery because a doctor was too tired to perform the operation correctly and carefully. According to a new study, sleep-deprivation is common amongst surgical residents. This is concerning because lack of sleep could affect one’s […]
Medical Error

Are you in a doctor-patient relationship?

Sometimes, the existence of a doctor-patient relationship is unambiguous – for instance, when you’ve been regularly seeing the same doctor for years. But when, exactly, does this relationship begin? The answer to this question can be extremely important for patients harmed by physician negligence: a successful medical malpractice claim can be made only against a […]
Medical Error

When silence isn’t golden: no call could mean medical malpractice

The “no news is good news” attitude of some doctors can be very bad news for some patients. Patients whose doctors or other health care providers tell them that they will not receive a call if their test results are normal should ask for a different approach. Up to 40 percent of medical malpractice claims […]
Medical Error

Cosmetic surgeries performed by unqualified doctors on the rise

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) announced a new safety campaign this week regarding the rise of cosmetic surgeries that are being performed across the country by unqualified doctors. A woman recently told ABCnews.com about her botched surgery after she failed to verify whether or not her doctor was certified to perform a corrective […]
Medical Error

New reporting system may cut down on medical errors

A new program at Johns Hopkins, one of the foremost medical centers in the country, is showing promise in reducing the number of errors made by medical professionals. Medical mistakes injure thousands of people each year and can cause birth injuries, failures in diagnoses and other dangerous errors, so clearly, anything that can be done […]
Medical Error

Study Finds Overdoses in Children’s Narcotic Prescriptions

A recent study conducted by the Medical University of South Carolina found a high number of infants’ narcotic prescriptions contain medication errors, putting young children at risk for overdoses. Inaccurate dosing is a particular danger young children because of narcotic drugs’ sedative effects. The researchers identified 19 narcotic-containing drugs most-prescribed to children age zero to […]
Medical Error + Medications and Overdose

Each Year Billions Are Spent on Medical Mistakes

Just last week, the Health Affairs journal published a new study on medical mistakes- paying close attention to the cost of errors made during hospital stays. The study found that for every dollar spent on heath care, as much as 45 cents is spent making (and attempting to fix) medical mistakes. In 1999, an Institute […]
Medical Error

The Digital Age Turns to Medical Records

Doctors Given 5-Year Deadline to Make All Records Electronic As part of the 2009 federal stimulus bill, funding was set aside to incentivize hospitals and doctors to buy expensive computerized record systems. By making all medical records digital, the goal is two-fold: to increase patient safety by reducing possible hospital mistakes and to lower health […]
Medical Error + Medical Malpractice

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At Cirignani Heller & Harman, LLP, we represent Illinois clients in Chicago and throughout Cook County, including the cities of Cicero, Elgin, Schaumburg, Oak Park, Maywood, Berwyn, Elmhurst, Evanston, Skokie, Des Plaines, Mount Prospect, Arlington Heights, Palatine and Hoffman Estates. We also help clients in DuPage County, Kane County, Lake County, McHenry County, Will County and Winnebago County. If you have been the victim of medical malpractice in Illinois, CHH Law is the law firm with attorneys that can help.

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