Between January 2013 and July 2015, the Patient Safety Organization of the ERCI Institute received reports of 7,613 wrong-patient events. Those reports were sent voluntarily by 181 different health care facilities during that time. However, it is believed that...
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Hospital Negligence
Using electronic patient records to reduce medical errors
Oregon residents should be concerned that communication between health care professionals regarding a patient's condition can significantly affect the chances of recovery. When one doctor's shift has ended and another doctor is responsible for a patient's care,...
Possible hepatitis B exposure for dialysis patients
Oregon dialysis patients may have heard about a facility in their neighboring state where people might have been exposed to hepatitis B. In May, public health officials in Seattle were notified by a hospital that discovered staff were not screening and...
Some hospitals lack adequate policies for never events
Some Oregon residents may have heard of medical mistakes such as operating on the wrong patient or leaving a surgical tool inside a patient. Dubbed "never events" because they should never happen, a total of 29 of these types of errors have been identified....
Hospital staff may become desensitized to medical alarms
The sound of a car alarm going off may have sent Oregon residents rushing to their windows or reaching for their phones to call the police when the technology was first introduced a few decades ago, but the sounds made by these security systems have become so...
Emotional and other concerns of hospital negligence claims
For those suffering an injury due to negligence in an Oregon hospital, a malpractice lawsuit is often the first remedy that comes to mind. One author points to a number of considerations that should be made before pursuing this path. Among other concerns are...
Hospital discharge a dangerous time for patients
According to medical experts, patients in Oregon and nationwide are most vulnerable to complications when being discharged from the hospital. Studies show the problem is even worse for older patients with complex medical needs. Poor transitional care occurs...
Research examines frequency of fatal medical mistakes
When an Oregon resident requires treatment for a medical issue, there is an inherent trust that the hospital staff will not make a mistake that leads to harm. However, errors can and do happen, and research suggests that the problem is far greater than...
Electronic health records missing mental health data
Oregon medical professionals know that electronic health records are being adopted by more and more health care systems. These records are supposed to make it easier to research a patient's medical history, improve patient safety and save money. However, a...
Negligence in the emergency room
Like most people in Oregon, when you go to the emergency room, you are most likely seeking treatment for a sudden illness or injury. Doctors in emergency rooms are expected to be able to provide medical care to patients suffering from a variety of different...