The Annals of Pharmacotherapy has published new research that has found blood thinners are a reason about seven percent of hospital patients suffer from medication errors. The main reason for the use of blood thinners in all South Carolina hospitals is to prevent the formation of blood clots that can lead to a stroke or heart attack. Blood thinners will allow blood in veins and arteries to flow without blockage.
South Carolina and hospitals sued over child's surgery
Adoptive parents are suing a university, a hospital system and the state over their child's sex-assignment surgery. The suit alleges that the surgery was medically unnecessary. It also claims that the hospital system was negligent by not properly informing the state officials in charge of the child at the time of the risks and consequences of the surgery.
Medical error at well-known hospital
A 76-year-old man who went into a well-known hospital to have a kidney removed came out of the surgery with one less body part; however, it was the wrong one. Although it is not clear what happened in the surgery, what is clear is that a physician took the wrong kidney out of the man. Medical errors can occur anywhere, including South Carolina.
Hospital patients catching superbugs
In addition to whatever ailment a South Carolina resident has entered a hospital for, they may also have to worry about catching a superbug. Approximately one in every 20 people who enter a hospital will catch a superbug over the course of their stay. This has caused a growing concern about the issue of medical malpractice and cleanliness, and many hospitals have started taking steps to prevent the spread of these types of infections, though there is no consensus that any are effective yet.
Bullying in hospitals may pose safety risks for patients
South Carolina residents may be interested to hear about information that suggests that bullying between doctors and co-workers may pose safety risks for patients. In a survey of over 4,500 health care workers, 77 percent reported disruptive behaviors among doctors and 65 percent reported disruptive behaviors among nurses. Nearly one-third of those same workers said that such behaviors contributed to patient deaths, and more than two-thirds said that they led to medical errors. In one case, a perfusionist claimed that a cardiac surgeon clenching his fists and yelling at him menacingly made him feel threatened and traumatized him. A perfusionist is the person who operates the heart/lung machine during an open-heart surgery, so having his or her focus is extremely important in an operation. The Indiana Supreme Court later upheld a $325,000 settlement for the traumatized perfusionist. The tension between doctors and employees can potentially lead to more medical errors, which can, consequently, lead to more medical malpractice lawsuits.
