We have blogged about surgical errors and medical negligence this week. If you are wondering about the financial cost of medical malpractice, it is about $1.5 million per year, according to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
The HHS study found that insurance companies paid an additional $28,218 and an additional $19,480 for medical malpractice victims, compared with patients who did not experience doctor errors. In addition to errors in the operating room, the high cost of medical malpractice stems from the following:
· Errors in wound opening
· Blood clots and other pulmonary problems caused by medical errors
· Kidney failure and uncontrolled blood sugar caused by medical errors
· Errors in nursing care, including pressure ulcers and hip fractures
The HHS study also found that 1 in 10 fatalities within 90 days after surgery resulted from a preventable error. In addition, one-third of the deaths occurred after doctors discharged the patient from the hospital. The cost of medical negligence might be even higher than reported, as one expert commented that medical malpractice studies focus only on errors that occur during the hospital stay.
An HHS official commented that preventing medical errors needs to be a top priority of America’s health care system.
Harrell & Nowak, L.L.C. – New Orleans medical malpractice attorneys