Medical Malpractice Could Be Avoided With Surgical Checklists

A recent study led by Eefjie de Vries and a team at the Academic Medical Center in Amsterdam found that medical malpractice that occured between 2004 and 2005 could have been thwarted by the use of simple checklist.

The Importance of Surgical Checklists

new jersey philadelphia medical malpractice lawyers avoid using surgical checklistSeveral hospitals in the Netherlands use a checklist called SURPASS to assure that all the proper steps have been taken before a patient goes under the knife. Steps on the list include the confirmation of vital aspects of surgery such as the operating schedule, equipment availability, and surgical site. De Vries and his team found that of all of the medical errors that occured between 2004 and 2005, 29% of them could be attributed to at least one of the steps on the checklist. Additionally, 4 of the 10 deaths caused by medical malpractice could be linked back to the checklist.

Eefjie de Vries commented on the use of the checlist, saying:

While the checklist as a whole may seem a little intimidating, the separate parts for each stage of the surgical pathway take little time to complete.

Intimidating or not, if a checklist will save lives, than it’s ludacris that such a method of prevention is not universally utilized.

Medical Malpractice in the United States

In the United States, it is estimated that 2.4% of healthcare costs, or 55 billion dollars, goes to the effects of medical errors. Also, reports have shown that tens of thousands of patients die each year in the United States due to medical malpractice and negligence.

The use of a checklist would not only save lives, but dramatically cut the spending attributed to correcting medical errors, or compensating the seriously injured.

Atul Gawande, a surgeon at the Harvard School of Public Health, has written extensively on the topic of medical malpractice prevention, and was quoted as saying:

. . . surgeons who do not use one of these checklists are endangering patients.

Medical Malpractice Attorneys in New Jersey and Philadelphia

Surgical checklists are a simple and inexpensive way to provide additional safety to patients undergoing surgery. The fact that only a fourth of US hopsitals utilize such a simple fix is befuddling. Medical malpractice is a serious threat to patients everywhere, and medical providers should be doing everything in their power to prevent it.

If you or a loved one have suffered at the hands of a negligent medical provider, contact the Mininno Law Office for a free case evaluation. You may also call for a free consultation at (856) 833-0600 in New Jersey, or (215) 567-2380 in Philadelphia.
Let the Mininno Law Office team earn YOU the full and fair compensation YOU deserve.

Tip#6 for Bedsore Prevention: Proper Nutrition

If you have been following our posts, we hope that the nursing home abuse tips for the prevention of bedsores and pressure ulcers series have been helpful to you or a family member who may be a nursing home abuse victim. These bedsore and pressure ulcer prevention tips are quite simple, yet may make a difference in whether a nursing home patient develops a pressure ulcer or bedsore. The theme of these posts is simple: Prevention is always the best medicine when it comes to preventing bedsore and pressure ulcers in nursing homes.

Tip#6 for Preventing Bedsores or Pressure Ulcers

new jersey philadelphia nursing home abuse lawyers tips bedsore prevention proper nutritionThe sixth tip nursing home abuse lawyers offer in preventing bedsores and pressure ulcers is to make sure a nursing home patient has proper nutrition. Many nursing home patients do not get proper nutrition because nursing home staff may be poorly trained, over-worked, or may not fully understand how closely nutrition is related to bedsore and pressure ulcers. Although nursing home staff are required by law to know the many ways to prevent a bedsore or a pressure ulcer, many nursing home staff do not get this training or education from the nursing home. This is not acceptable and is just another form of nursing home patient neglect. Nursing home staff must know the reasons for malnutrition. For example, patients may have difficulty feeding themselves, do not enjoy meals, or are taking medications which upset their stomachs. These patients need specific nutrition assessments to ensure that a bedsore or pressure ulcer will not form.

We encourage any family member of a nursing home patient to speak with the nursing home staff to ensure that a dietician or nutritionist is monitoring the nursing home patient’s condition. A nursing home staff member needs to identify any factors which can compromise protein or caloric intake. Poor nutrition monitoring is one of the leading causes of bedsores and pressure ulcers in nursing home patients. As New Jersey and Philadelphia nursing home abuse lawyers, we believe that there is no excuse for a nursing home patient to be undernourished, leading to bedsores or pressure ulcers. Simple steps such as multivitamins, nutritional supplements, and a regular schedule of hydration can and should be provided to all nursing home patients to prevent pressure ulcers and bedsores. All families should ask the nursing home staff whether or not their loved one is being provided with multivitamins and supplements and ask to see the chart to document that this pressure ulcer and bedsore preventive measure is being taken every day.

Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers in New Jersey and Philadelphia

If you’re loved one has been the victim of nursing home abuse and/or has aquired bedsores or pressure ulcers while a resident at a long term care facility, contact the Mininno Law Office for a free case evaluation. Our nursing home abuse lawyers are skilled at earning victims of nursing home abuse full and fair compensation. You may also call for a free consultation at (856) 833-0600 in New Jersey, or (215) 567-2380 in Philadelphia.

DePuy Hip Recall Design Flaw Still A Mystery

This DePuy Hip Recall article is one in a series of posts designed to provide DePuy hip implant patients with information regarding the hip implant recall.

DePuy Hip Recall Lawyers Answer Questions

new jersey philadelphia depuy hip recall attorneys defective design flawsOne of the questions patients have asked is, “What is the defect that is causing these implants to fail?” Not surprisingly, DePuy Orthopaedics is not telling its DePuy hip implant patients anything of substance regarding why these DePuy hip implants are failing and why they have issued this hip recall. But, DePuy won’t be able to keep its secrets for long. Ultimately, because of the lawsuits, DePuy representatives will have to testify, under oath, about the hip recall. Then, DePuy hip implant patients will finally learn the truth.

Also, DePuy hip recall lawyers will hire experts on behalf of the hip recall patients who will get a chance to look at DePuy’s engineering data and specification to determine what is causing the defect that has so dramatically affected so many hip recall patients. Until then, both DePuy hip recall lawyers and hip patients can only speculate about the true nature of the hip implant defect.

What is known is that the pain and symptoms associated with the DePuy hip implant system involve the loosening of the cup, unusual wear and tear in the hip joint, and the shedding of metal debris into the surrounding tissues causing osteolysis. Ultimately, as the litigation progresses, New Jersey and Philadelphia DePuy Hip Recall lawyers will get more information about why this defect occurred and how it will affect the entire 93,000 DePuy hip implant patients.

DePuy Hip Recall Lawyers in New Jersey and Philadelphia

If you have received a defective DePuy hip implant and are not sure about your next step, you should seek out the assistance of a DePuy hip recall lawyer. Contact the Mininno Law Office for a free case evaluation. You may also call for a free consultation at (856) 833-0600 in New Jersey, or (215) 567-2380 in Philadelphia.

Let the team at the Mininno Law Office earn you the compensation you need and deserve.

Medical Malpractice Verdict of $23 Million Awarded to Woman Who Aquired Brain Damage

Medical malpractice attorneys in Florida helped Lanette Gervato earn $23 million in compensation after medical malpractice in the operating room mistake led to her brain damage and partial paralysis.

Brain Procedure Gone Wrong

new jersey philadelphia medical malpractice attorneys 23 million verdict brain damage caseLanette Gervato was 35 years old when she was suffering from, along with unexplained headaches, a multitude of symptoms. She visited the University of Florida’s Shands Teaching Hospital for treatment. After testing, it was determined that Gervato was suffering from a non-bleeding aneurysm in her brain. A Shands neurosurgeon would perform a procedure in which coils would be inserted into the aneurysm.

However, during the surgery, one of the arteries was unknowingly perforated. Gervato’s post-operative recovery period included many stroke symptoms. Her nurse, Rebecca Boone, observed the symptoms, but did nothing. By the time doctors finally realized that Gervato was in danger, the damage had already been done. Her brain was filled with blood and significant brain damage had occured.

Medical Malpractice Effects on Lanette Gervato

Gervato’s life has been permanently affected. She is now paralyzed on one side, suffers from impaired vision, experiences constant pain, and has lost much of her cognitive reasoning skills. Her husband has had to stop working in order to provide constant care, and their four children have had to be placed with other family members to get the attention and care that they need.

The verdict will afford the Gervatos round the clock care so that they can, as their attorney put it, “return to as much normalcy as possible”.

Medical Malpractice Lawyers in New Jersey and Philadelphia

If you or a loved one have suffered at the hands of a negligent medical provider, contact the Mininno Law Office for a free case evaluation. The medical malpractice lawyers at the Mininno Law Office are dedicated to earning victimized patients the compensation they need to pay past, present, and future medical bills. If you prefer, you may call for a free consultation at (856) 833-0600 in New Jersey, or (215) 567-2380 in Philadelphia.

Let the team at the Mininno Law Office earn you the compensation you need and deserve.

Help Yourself Avoid Medical Malpractice Caused by ER Wait Times

CNN.com recently published an article on the Jeffers family and the medical malpractice that occurred during their visit to Methodist Hospital emergency room in Sacramento, California.

Malyia Jeffers Waited Too Long

The article tells the story of 2 year old Malayia Jeffers. When her fever spiked to 101 degrees and her parents noticed a bruise like spot on her cheek, Leah and Ryan Jeffers decided to take their daughter to the emergency room. A triage nurse working the ER looked at the Jeffers’ daughter and said she probably had a virus and a rash.

new jersey philadelphia medical malpractice attorneys malyia jeffersMalyia’s condition persistently worsened during the near 5 hours that she and her parents waited to be seen by a doctor. Finally, Ryan Jeffers bypassed the nurses station and pushed through the doors behind them. He approached a different nurse and asked her
“Does this look like a rash?” She responded with “no” and gave the Jeffers a room immediately.

Malyia was eventually diagnosed with Group A Strep, otherwise known as the flesh-eating bacteria. She was transferred to an area hospital that specialized in pediatric care. Unfortunately, it had been too long, and in order to save her life, doctors had to amputate her left hand, a few fingers on her right hand, and both legs below the knee.

Emergency Room Wait Times a Serious Problem

A study performed in 2009 by the Government Accountability Office found that ER wait times are often more than double the medically recommended time. Press Ganey Associates research tells that in 2009, patients waited an average of six hours in the emergency room. Over 400,000 patients waited 24 hours or more. These wait times can prove permanently detrimental, and in some unfortunate cases, even fatal.

Tips to Avoid ER Wait Times

The CNN article also offered a few tips for readers to avoid long and potentially dangerous waits in the emergency room.

#1: Check for wait time posts. Many hospitals are beginning to post ER wait times on their website. You should check all of your area hospitals to inform yourself of the potential wait.

new jersey philadelphia medical malpractice attorneys ER wait times#2: Avoid High Traffic Periods. It seems that because patients try to avoid spending their whole weekend in the ER, Monday is the busiest emergency room day. If you start noticing symptoms on Saturday, don’t wait until Monday to see a doctor. The delay could end up causing much harm.

#3: Alert your primary care physician that you are going to the ER. Getting an opinion from your PCP that you then offer to the ER nurses could help and possibly expedite your care.

#4: Once you’ve arrived, don’t leave. If you thought you were sick enough to visit the ER, then you are sick enough to wait to be seen. You should be persistent. Not rude, but persistent.

#5: Alert ER personnel of any changes. If you notice changes in your condition, make sure to tell someone. That change might be the reason you require immediate attention.

#6: Ask for the Charge Nurse. If you believe your condition has worsened and the situation has become urgent, seek out the charge nurse or supervisor, and alert him/her that you believe your medical condition requires immediate evaluation.

Medical Malpractice Lawyers in NJ and PA

Medical malpractice occurs day in and day out in doctor’s offices and hospitals around the world. Many times it has nothing to do with a doctor’s abilities, but with the poor programs and policies their instutions have in place. It is important to take a firm role in your own medical care.

If you or a loved one have suffered due to medical malpractice or negligence, contact the Mininno Law Office for a free case evaluation. Our team is experienced and skilled in earning victims of medical negligence the full and fair compensation that they need and deserve.
You may also call for a free consultation at (856) 833-0600 in New Jersey or (215) 567-2380 in Philadelphia.

Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers With Tip#5 For Bedsore Prevention

Recently, as a New Jersey and Pennsylvania nursing home abuse lawyers, we have been writing nursing home abuse posts including tips to help a patient prevent bedsores and pressure ulcers while in a long term care facility. As stated in all of our previous bedsore and pressure ulcer postings, prevention is always the best medicine when it comes to preventing bedsores and pressure ulcers.

Tip #5 for Preventing Bedsores and Pressure Ulcers

new jersey philadelphia nursing home abuse attorneys fifth tip prevent bedsores incontinenceThe fifth tip nursing home abuse lawyers offer in preventing bedsores is to establish a bowel or bladder program for any nursing home patient who may have incontinence. Many patients are incontinent or have other bowel or bladder issues. When a patient is admitted into the nursing home, the staff should assess whether or not the patient has a bowel or bladder problem and design a plan to minimize any potential risk this may pose in developing a pressure ulcer or bedsore. These residents should be on a regular toileting schedule to ensure that those needs are being met on a regular basis.

In addition, nursing home staff should always anticipate and expect that a nursing home patients’ incontinence may be not be controllable by that patient. As such, in order to minimize that patients’ risk of developing a bedsore, it is important for the staff to clean the skin as soon as it is soiled and use a topical barrier to protect the skin consistent with the tips provided earlier.

Finally, it is important that the nursing home staff provide underpads or absorbent briefs that provide a quick drying surface to the skin. These measures have been proven to prevent bedsores and pressure ulcers in patients. While some residents may object to wearing underpads or briefs (i.e., an adult diaper), a staff member should speak with the patient’s family to ensure that their loved one understands that these measures are safe, effective, and proven to protect them from a serious and perhaps life threatening bedsore or pressure ulcer.

Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers in New Jersey and Philadelphia

If your loved one has suffered from severe bedsores or pressure ulcers in a nursing home or long-term care facility, you will need to contact nursing home abuse lawyers: contact the Mininno Law Office for a free case evaluation or call for a free consultation at (856) 833-0600 in New Jersey, or (215) 567-2380 in Philadelphia.

Let the team at the Mininno Law Office earn you the compensation you need and deserve.

DePuy Hip Recall Lawyers Lists 4 Things Patients Should Know

new jersey philadelphia depuy hip recall attorneys things you should knowIf you are a victim of the DePuy hip recall, there are few things you should know:

1. Not all DePuy hip implants are being recalled.

As a New Jersey and Philadelphia DePuy hip recall lawyer, I get many telephone calls and emails from patients who have had hip replacements. As we posted on December 2, 2010, only certain DePuy hip implants are subject to the recall. Please click on the next link to read whether or not your hip implant is part of the DePuy hip recall.

2. Your implant will need to be replaced whether or not you are having symptoms.

We are often asked, “Do I need to have my DePuy hip implant replaced if I’m not experiencing symptoms?” Yes. Because of the unusually high wear and tear, and because of the metallic shed rate in DePuy implants, medical research has predicted that nearly all of the DePuy hip implants will fail within ten years of use whether or not you are experiencing symptoms. See our November 18th post for more information about the ASR replacements.

3. Do not feel obligated to speak with DePuy Orthopaedics or Johnson & Johnson representatives or claims adjusters.

We are strongly encouraging any patient to contact a lawyer to represent them. As we posted previously, DePuy is not offering fair compensation and is passing on the cost of its defect on to patients and their insurance carriers. These claims adjusters on behalf of DePuy are not looking out for your best interests and you may lose your rights by dealing with them: click to read about Johnson & Johnson tactics.

4. Patients should insist on blood tests to determine if their hip implant is releasing metals into their blood system.

We are often told that “DePuy hip replacement patients’ x-rays look fine,” and therefore will likely not need surgery. Medical research shows that x-rays are the least effective way to determine if your hip implant is failing. You should insist on blood tests that specifically identify the release of cobalt and chromium into your body. You should consult with an infectious disease doctor to see whether or not you are experiencing any signs or symptoms related to a depuy hip implant failure.

DePuy Hip Recall Lawyers in New Jersey and Philadelphia

If you are the recipient of a DePuy hip implant, contact the Mininno Law Office for a free case evaluation. You may also call for a free consultation at (856) 833-0600 in New Jersey, or (215) 567-2380 in Philadelphia.

Illinois Takes Big Step to Prevent Medical Malpractice

Medical malpractice attorneys are happy to hear about new steps being taken in Illinois to help prevent medical malpractice.
The Patients’ Right to Know Act was just passed by the Illinois House of Representatives and is currently awaiting Senate approval. The act, which would be a wonderful addition to all state legislation, would make available medical practitioner histories to past, current, and possible future patients. The histories would include firings, criminal convictions, and medical malpractice

Medical Malpractice and Doctor Profiles

new jersey philadelphia medical malpractice lawyers pursuit full disclosure doctor historiesMany argue that making this information available is unfair to medical providers, but in actuality, it’s keeping this information from unsuspecting patients that is unfair. Choosing a doctor, in some cases, can be a life and death situation. It is more fair to leave up to the patient’s discretion whether or not they will let that doctor provide them treatment, having already been informed about any malpractice or legal trouble that doctor has been in.

Patients in Illinois already know how valuable the information is, as these history profiles were available once before when the Illinois Supreme Court released them at the same time that they capped medical malpractice payments. But when the caps were declared unconstitutional, doctors saw to it that the profiles were prohibited from public consumption. The profiles, while they were available, earned about 130,000 clicks a week.

The Illinois State Medical Society is currently doing everything in it’s power to keep the Patients’ Right to Know Act from becoming law. They have been successful in thwarting past efforts to do similar things. Hopefully this time around, patient advocacy will triumph.

Medical Malpractice Lawyers in New Jersey and Philadelphia

If you or a loved one have suffered at the hands of a negligent medical provider, contact the Mininno Law Office for a free case evaluation. The medical malpractice lawyers at the Mininno Law Office are skilled and experienced in earning victims full and fair compensation for damages aquired from medical malpractice. If you prefer, you may call for a free consultation at (856) 833-0600 in New Jersey, or (215) 567-2380 in Philadelphia.

Let the Mininno Law Office team earn you the compensation that you need and deserve.

Nursing Homes Not Elderly Adults Only Choice Today

Nursing home abuse has affected millions of people in the United States because, for such a long time, nursing homes were the only option a family had when their loved one’s physical state required additional help. However, according to census data, only 7.4% of elderly Americans are living in nursing homes, a number that has fallen from the 8.1% in 1990. Many elderly people and their families, especially those 85 years and older, are now turning not to traditional nursing homes, but instead to long term care assistance at home, in-home care, and other options. This is great for the families that can afford to maintain other types of care for their loved ones. But for the 1.8 million people that still live in nursing homes, care should be adequate, training should be provided, and abuse should be prevented.

Nursing Home Care Must Be Improved

The quality of care a patient receives should not depend on how much money they have to spend, but unfortunately, nowadays, that seems to be the case. If nursing home administrators and medical providers spent more of their efforts on improving the quality of care in nursing homes and less of their efforts on their bottom lines, other unneccessary costs would be non existent. Bedsore treatment or litigation costs can be astronomical, but providing adequate and focused care can avoid the need for such spending.
              
Click for more information on nursing home alternatives

Nursing Home Abuse Laywers in New Jersey and Philadelphia

If you feel that your loved ones have been a victim of nursing home abuse or neglect, please contact the Mininno Law Office for a free case evaluation. The nursing home abuse abuse lawyers at the Mininno Law Office are experienced and very skilled in earning victims of nursing home abuse the full and fair compensation that they need and deserve. Be sure to act promptly, as a statue of limitations could run out on your claim.

You may also call for a free consultation at 856-833-0600 in New Jersey, or 215-567-2380 in Philadelphia. Let the Mininno Law Office work to earn justice for you and your family.

Traumatic Brain Injury Treatment Not Being Covered for Military Victims

traumatic brain injury lawyers in new jersey and philadelphiaMilitary healthcare officials are collectively refusing to pay for a new treatment to rehabilitate traumatic brain injury victims, despite widespread support from doctors and lawmakers

Traumatic Brain Injury and Cognitive Rehabilitation Therapy

While Traumatic Brain Injury, or TBI, may bring on significant physical limitiations, it can also cause cognitive limitations. Cognitive Rehabilitation Therapy (CRT) aims to repair those limitations. It addresses concentration, language skills, learning, memory, reasoning, judgement, and social skills. Through various techniques and learning exercises, therapists and neuropsychologists help patients regain the cognitive abilities they lost after sustaining a traumatic brain injury.

Traumatic Brian Injury Treatment and the Military

Military health officials have recently decided to disallow coverage for CRT because it has yet to be scientifically proven. Tricare Management Agency, an insurance company covering uniformed service members, retirees, and their families, said of the TBI treatment:traumatic brain injury lawyers in nj and pa

“There is insufficient, evidence-based research available to conclude that cognitive rehabilitation therapy is beneficial in treating traumatic brain injury.”

Tricare has said that CRT can be covered if it is bundled with other forms of treatment, such as speech or behavioral therapy, but can not be submitted for coverage as it’s own medical service.

Many doctors and medical providers believe that the real reason for withholding coverage is cost. CRT can be very expensive, costing as much as $50,000 for only four months of treatment. Dr. James Malec, research director at the Rehabilition Hospital in Indiana, commented:

“It seems to me this is motivated by an effort to control costs, that anything quote-unquote ‘new’ is going to be denied.”

Dr. Malec was asked to review Tricare’s study of Cognitive Rehabilitation Therapy and, upon doing so, opposed their decision to deny coverage. Tricare denied that cost played any part in their decision to deny coverage, saying that they base their decisions on “safety and efficacy of…treatment.”

Lawmakers’ Response to Denial of Treatment

traumatic brain injury lawyers in nj and pa

In 2008, Defense Secretary Robert Gates received a letter from lawmakers on Capitol Hill, urging that he push Tricare to provide coverage for the cognitive treatment. They even formed a Congressional Brain Injury Taskforce to continue the efforts of getting CRT covered. The task force, in a 2009 letter, wrote:

“Study after study has shown the efficacy of cognitive rehabilitative therapy in improving the health and functionality of TBI patients.”

Tricare has said that the formal policy on CRT coverage remains under review.

Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyers in New Jersey and Philadelphia

Men and women in the military sacrifice their bodies, their minds, and their lives to fight for our freedoms, and for the freedoms of the disenfranchised. Today, violence in Iraq and Afghanistan is claiming the cognitive abilities of many soldiers, and they are returning home to find that the treatment they need is being denied them. The effects of traumatic brain injury, be they mild or severe, can change one’s life forever if the correct therapy and treatment is not promptly provided. Hopefully, Tricare will reconsider and change their position on coverage of Cognitive Rehabilitation Therapy.

If you or a loved one have suffered a traumatic brain injury due to the negligence of another, and you are now facing cognitive and/or physical limitations, as well as medical bills, that you aren’t prepared to handle, contact the Mininno Law Office for a free case evaluation. The traumatic brain injury lawyers at the Mininno Law Office are experienced and skilled in earning victims the full and fair compensation that they need and deserve. You may also call for a free consultation at (856) 833-0600 in New Jersey, or (215) 567-2380 in Philadelphia.

Let the team at the Mininno Law Office work for you.