Medical malpractice is a term that is frequently heard in news stories and conversations. You may be wondering, "What exactly is medical malpractice?" and perhaps more importantly, "If I believe that I have been a victim of medical malpractice, what should I do about it?"
Columbia VA hospital included in medical malpractice probe
More information is being released about mismanagement and poor care at Veterans Administration hospitals all over the country, including the one in Columbia, South Carolina. What some have claimed to be a successful model of socialized medicine may actually have long wait lists for general care and procedures, delays that may have even led to wrongful death.
Girl dies after medication error at dentist's office
South Carolina parents may be interested in the outcome of an incident involving a young girl who was reportedly over-medicated at a dentist's office. The girl passed away on Jan. 3 at Hospice Hawaii, one month after she went to a pediatric dentist for six cavity fillings and four root canals on Dec. 3.
Shouldn't doctors be drug tested?
Readers in South Carolina may be interested in some research that shows substance abuse among doctors is 18 percent higher than it is in the general population. Yet, unlike other professions, such as teachers, athletes and even bus drivers, doctors aren't required to take urine tests that look for the presence of illegal drugs. Another statistic indicates that almost two out of every 10 doctors abuse alcohol and drugs. It is an issue that may impact a patient's standard of care.
South Carolina whistleblower loses medical malpractice case
A South Carolina orthopedic surgeon, whose whistle-blowing led to a federal lawsuit against a healthcare provider, was himself censured by a jury recently. The doctor was found liable in a medical malpractice case arising from a 2010 operation he performed on a patient's knee.