| Read Time: 2 minutes | Hospital Negligence

Some Sobering Concerns for DOD’s Electronic Patient Records Plan

As a recent commentary from a national news outlet notes, it shouldn’t be remotely surprising that, when it comes to the implementation of electronic health records systems (EHRs) across the country, the military should have singular and outsized problems. After all, the military is a singular establishment with special concerns and considerations that simply don’t exist in the civilian...

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First U.S.-Based Ebola Victim, a Nurse, Files Negligence Lawsuit

Nina Pham says that she didn’t want to commence litigation against the parent company of the hospital that still employs her; rather, she says that circumstances forced her to do so. “I felt I was left with no choice but to turn to the courts for help,” she said recently, following the filing of a civil lawsuit against Texas...

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Topical Concern: Tardy FDA Response to Deadly Bacteria?

The sad saga regarding contaminated endoscopes goes on. We last left off with this high-profile and nationally important health-related story in our February 23 blog post, informing readers therein that tainted scopes used to detect and treat digestive disorders resulted in the deaths of two patients at one California hospital. Additionally, several other patients at that facility were infected...

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| Read Time: 2 minutes | Hospital Negligence

Sad Update on Endoscope-Acquired Infections

As a segue to today’s blog post, our readers in Missouri and elsewhere might logically want to take a look at one of our earlier entries, namely, our January 27 post. The title of that entry focusing upon endoscopes used in the treatment of digestive ailments poses this very direct question: “Does disinfecting absolutely ensure cleanliness?” In that wake...

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| Read Time: < 1 minute | Hospital Negligence

Is There a Time Limit in Missouri for Filing a Malpractice Claim?

Is there a time limit for filing a malpractice case? You bet there is, and a would-be malpractice plaintiff had better stay on top of the details in order to not jeopardize his or her legal claims. In fact, all states have statutorily enacted statutes of limitation laws that grant repose to potential defendants after a certain stated period....

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Endoscopes: Does Disinfecting Absolutely Ensure Cleanliness?

A Missouri-based story does not yet prominently feature alongside other recent tales concerning frightening outcomes associated with endoscope use. In time, though, that could change. A “deadly pattern of illnesses” was recently noted in a media expose concerning the use of so-called duodenoscopes that are inserted down patients’ throats to probe for digestive disorders such as gallstones and cancerous...

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| Read Time: 2 minutes | Hospital Negligence

Electronic Health Records: Not a Seamless Process, Part 2

Part of the bait extended by government officials to doctors to entice those physicians to vigorously participate in the transformation from paper medical records to digital patient records has been money. And no small amount. Doctors who have transferred over to electronic health records and demonstrated “meaningful use” of such systems have reportedly received about $9 billion in federal...

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Electronic Health Records: Not a Seamless Process, Part 1

It might have struck you as an immediate apparency or, rather, dawned on you only over time. We’re talking about your recognition as a patient of electronic health records. For years, your doctor busily scribbled away in your patient records, making handwritten notations. Then, suddenly, he or she began interacting with a computer screen each time you came in...

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| Read Time: 2 minutes | Hospital Negligence

Taking a Close Look at Outpatient Surgical Clinics: Part 2

We queried in our immediately preceding blog post whether it seemed reasonable to throw up any red flags concerning the care provided patients in America’s outpatient surgical centers. Here’s why, as posed in a question: How can there be any real concerns when, as noted in a recent media article discussing ambulatory surgical clinics, many millions of patients across...

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| Read Time: < 1 minute | Hospital Negligence

Do Outpatient Surgical Centers Pose Special Risks for Patients?

In the realm of medical malpractice, preventable surgical error surely ranks high among patient concerns. When undergoing surgery, patients are absolutely vulnerable and must rely upon a reasonable expectation that all medical professionals in an operating theater will do their duties in a competent manner. Tragically, that sometimes does not happen, with patient injuries resulting from medical malpractice acts...

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