Medical Errors Of The United States Essay

Level 2 Award in Employment Responsibilities and Rights in Health, Social Care, Children and Young People's Settings (QCF)

It is shocking to know that every year 98000 patients die from medical errors that can be prevented(Kohn, L. T., Corrigan, J. M., & Donaldson, M. S. (Eds.), 2000). Medical errors are not a new issue in our healthcare system; these have been around for a long time. Hospitals have been trying to improve quality care and patients safety by implementing different strategies to prevent and reduce medical errors for past thirty years. Medical errors are the third leading cause of death after heart disease and cancer in America (Allen, 2013). In addition medical errors are costing our healthcare system an estimated $735 billion to $980 billion (Andel, Davidow, Hollander, & Moreno, 2012).

Cognitive errors of omission and commission are the most common types of medical errors that will happen in the workplace environment.

Causes of major medical errors have many different factors and influences. This includes why the patient was being seen to allow such an error, what medical guideline or guideline’s that where not followed that caused the error, what could have been done by staff members to prevent the error, etc. When errors take place, repercussions follow such as the cost incurred to the patient or patient family members, fines the medical worker must pay, and most importantly what is the patients status/prognosis. Not all patients prevail and make it through such awful medical errors.

From a personal standpoint I believe that the excessiveness of litigation is hurting the field of healthcare due to the affects in many different areas. It reduces access that patients need. Due to the misuse and disloyal antics of people making false accusations to self gain we will continue to see a rise in healthcare. I do not feel that all accusations are false, but I do believe that litigation has become successful due to dishonesty. In order for there to be financial distress for us all as a country we must flow diligently with each other. From a malpractice standpoint they need to ensure that their patients are taken care of to the best of their ability and that they are taking the precautions needed to ensure no

Medical errors are avoidable mistakes in the health care. These errors can take place in any type of health care institution. Medical errors can happen during medical tests and diagnosis, administration of medications, during surgery, and even lab reports, such as the mixing of two patients’ blood samples. These errors are usually caused by the lack of communication between doctors, nurses and other staff. A medical error could cause a severe consequence to the patient in cases consisting of severe injuries or cause/effect any health conditions, and even death. According to recent studies medical errors are not the third leading cause of death in the United States. (Walerius. 2016)

In the article “Why the American Medical Establishment Cannot Reduce Medical Errors” by Philips Levitt, the main points are the “incompetent” physician are the reasons behind hundreds of thousands of deaths in America and what the hospital can do to prevent the deaths. After I read the article, I was surprised that “…a small number of doctors—about two percent—are responsible for half the cases in which a patient is seriously and unnecessarily harmed in the process of being treated” (Levitt) because I was shocked that about two percent of doctors are liable for half of the case of the harm or deaths of the patient and this is the reason why it cost the people so much for health care. For example, “…$300 billion a year are spent on the waste

Because the PCS would not function within the legal system, its substitution for the malpractice liability system may deprive patients and providers of their right to court system access. The PCS’ proposed exclusivity therefore raises constitutionality issues (Forray, Fleming, & Wunder, 2014). On the other hand, as long as the malpractice liability system exists, injured patients will still find their way to court, thus perpetuating provider incentives to practice

A recent study projected that medical errors account for more than 250,000 deaths each year, making it the third-leading cause of death in the United States (“Medical Errors,” 2016). Given that an estimated 70% of patient care clinical decisions are based off laboratory test results, clinical laboratory plays a major role in reducing avoidable medical errors, enhancing patient safety, and improving outcomes (Osborne, 2017). Laboratory errors can lead to missed or delayed diagnosis, inappropriate treatment, decreased patient satisfaction, and increased waste in time, resources, and supplies (Osborne, 2017). Hospital systems must strive for a lab error rate of zero in an effort to eliminate preventable patient harm or death that can result from

“If people understood that doctors weren’t divine, perhaps the odor of malpractice might diminish”(Richard Selzer). “Between 210,000 and 440,000 patients, each year go to the hospital for care suffer some type of preventable harm that contributes to their death.”(-Journal of Patient Safety). When medical malpractice happens, many people blame the health care worker involved. Is it entirely fair to shift the blame are the institutions and practices not the ones that deceived them. Three changes needed to be made to cut medical malpractice are reducing the understaffing of nurses, having effective medical practices, and implementing proper communication.

The purpose of this paper is to identify a quality safety issue. I will summarize the impact that this issue has on health care delivery. In addition, I will identify quality improvement strategies. Finally, I will share a plan to effectively implement this quality improvement strategy.

The intended consequences of the medical malpractice system represent only the tip of the iceberg as to the realized effects. (pages 182-183 in the textbook)

In the administration of medical services in the United States law and regulation now control much of professional life. (p. 586)

It affects mostly emergency service providers and specialists in certain fields like gynecologists and neurologists. It is important to understand how malpractice affects the delivery of health services. This paper will identify how malpractice premiums are changing the way of delivering health services.

     Imagine yourself lying on an operating table, motionless, quiet. Above, you notice people standing over you. You try to speak but the words just cannot come out. Your arms feel as if they are plastered to the table. You begin to stand up but feel as if weights are strapped to your back and you are bound to the table. Suddenly you feel a sharp pain in your midsection. In and out, you see a surgeon slicing your body open with a scalpel. Every motion the masked person makes is as if you are being torn apart from the inside out. One would hope this would simply be a nightmare and they will wake up and everything will be fine. In this instance, this person will