If you’re filing a claim against a nursing home, get evidence
When neglect, abuse or negligence takes place in a nursing home, patients or their family members may be able to pursue a medical malpractice claim against the facility.
On the whole, a nursing home owes its residents a high degree of care. They are entrusted to take care of the world’s most vulnerable, which is why it is so devastating when abuse, neglect or negligence lead to injuries...
Medication errors pose health risk for patients
When Minnesota residents Minnesota seek medical help, they expect to receive the right medication for their illness. On any given week, four-fifths of adults in the United States use a prescription medicine, over-the-counter option or a natural substitute, while 33% take five or more different medicines at the same time. When people take multiple drugs, they are more likely to suffer adverse...
Cancers, vascular issues and infections commonly misdiagnosed
Medical mistakes are a top cause of injury and death for hospital patients in New Jersey and across the United States. According to a new study, most of these mistakes occur during the diagnostic phase of medical care and take place in three main disease categories.
For the study, which was published in the journal Diagnosis, researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore examined data...
Medical errors and depression may be linked
An analysis of 11 different studies found a link between depression and the likelihood of a doctor making a medical error. The study also found that doctors who made medical errors were at a greater risk of developing symptoms of depression in the future. Depression in medical professionals may lead to negative consequences for patients in New Jersey and throughout the country. It may also...
Understanding the stages of breast cancer
When women in New Jersey are diagnosed with breast cancer, timing can make all the difference in the outcomes they receive. People with earlier diagnoses are far more likely to survive their cancer with fewer long-term effects. Some people receive a delayed diagnosis because their doctor failed to diagnose their cancer, despite signs and symptoms that could have led them to start treatment far...
Male breast cancer patients see lower survival rates than women
Though rare, breast cancer does occur in men. Residents of New Jersey should know that it is, in fact, on the rise with some 1.21 per 100,000 men in the U.S. suffering from it in 2016 (compared to 0.85 per 100,000 men in 1975). Even more unfortunate is that male breast cancer patients tend to experience lower survival rates than women do.
A study published in JAMA Oncology has found that this...
Many Lyme disease patients are misdiagnosed
Some New Jersey residents might have Lyme disease and not even know it. According to medical professionals, the condition can mimic other conditions and be difficult to diagnose.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that almost 300,000 people contract Lyme disease, which is transmitted through tick bites, each year. Symptoms of the disease can include skin rashes, headaches,...
Surgeons’ unprofessional behavior leads to patient complications
Studies have shown that surgeons whose behavior receives complaints from patients and their family are more likely to leave their patients with post-operative complications. A report published in JAMA Surgery has linked a higher risk of patient complications with surgeons who have received complaints from their co-workers. New Jersey residents should know that 20% to 30% of surgeons receive...
Scientists discover form of dementia that mimics Alzheimer’s
Scientists have discovered a form of dementia that mimics the symptoms of Alzheimer’s but is in fact distinct from it. It is now clear that patients in New Jersey and across the U.S. may have been misdiagnosed as having Alzheimer’s. The discovery also shows that many factors can contribute to dementia.
The newly defined dementia has been labeled as limbic-predominant age-related...
Improper medical garment removal can spread bacteria
New Jersey patients know that the medical staff members who treat them are only human and can make mistakes. Many mistakes are minor or caught very quickly before they can do any harm, but some medical errors can be serious and cause harm to patients or to others. Mistakes involving contaminated materials can spread disease throughout a medical setting. A recent study indicates that mistakes...