Medical Malpractice
Proponents of “tort reform” claim that “frivolous lawsuits” are out of control, with the latest target being medical malpractice lawsuits. In pushing for a cap on damages, these advocates have relied on a central premise: that…
Continue ReadingThe U.S. House of Representatives has passed H.R. 5, the Protecting Access to Healthcare (PATH) Act. The proposed law would limit the amount of compensation a plaintiff could receive in a medical malpractice lawsuit. The bill’s…
Continue ReadingFor the first time in history, researchers are showing a link between genetic and environmental causes that lead to birth defects. It has been long assumed that most birth defects were the result of either genetic…
Continue ReadingBecause many congenital heart disease cases are overlooked in the prenatal stages or even in early infancy, a government agency has begun recommending screening newborns for critical congenital cyanotic heart disease (CCCHD). The Secretary’s Advisory Committee…
Continue ReadingA new study in the journal Health Affairs shows that some health care providers are not always completely honest about medical errors, the severity of a prognosis or their relationships with drug companies. The study involved…
Continue ReadingMembers of the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation spent a lot of time at the spa in 2011. It was not all about pampering, though. The department was investigating the state’s day spas and…
Continue ReadingGroup B Strep is a dangerous bacteria that lives in the digestive tract and the birth canal of as many as one in four pregnant women and can cause permanent handicaps for the baby. According to…
Continue ReadingThe medical community is being called upon to make procedural changes that would significantly reduce the risk of wrong site and wrong side surgeries. Across the country, about 40 surgeries a week are performed on the…
Continue ReadingMissed or delayed pain management diagnoses create a serious risk for hospital patients. Today’s Hospitalist found that nurses, doctors, and support staff frequently failed at communicating dosing amounts, did not conduct appropriate monitoring, and struggled to…
Continue ReadingA family in St. Louis, Ill. is dealing with a traumatic birth injury that they blame on Memorial Hospital medical professionals. Mistakes made during the pregnancy caused their daughter to have cerebral palsy. During the baby’s…
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