New research shows reductions in adverse events for some hospital patients and no changes for others. Examples of adverse events include hospital-acquired infections, bedsores, drug reactions, and complications after undergoing surgery or other medical procedures.
Those that saw improvements were cardiac patients. Specifically, the rates of adverse events dropped 25 percent for heart attack patients and 28 percent for those with congestive heart failure.
However, patients hospitalized for other types of surgery and those with pneumonia did not experience any drops in the adverse events mentioned, including urinary tract infections. Yet, there was slight improvement with two types of adverse events—those involving drugs and some types of hospital-acquired infections.
Although it’s mostly good news for cardiac patients, there was still an increase in some adverse events. For instance, with heart attack patients—kidney problems stemming from contrast material used in cardiac procedures, ventilator-assisted pneumonia and bedsores. And for congestive heart failure patients, an increase in mechanical problems with central catheters.
When an Adverse Event in a Hospital Could Lead to a Medical Malpractice Claim
Patient safety has become an important focus in the past few years. Many of the examples provided (and other types of adverse events that can occur in a hospital) are preventable. If it can be proven that negligence is what caused it to occur and it results in a patient suffering serious or fatal injuries, it may allow for a claim to be filed.
A medical malpractice claim could address the additional medical costs incurred because of the adverse event, such as hospital-acquired infections, along with the delay in recovery keeping the person out of work longer. It may even allow for compensation that addresses pain and suffering, mental anguish and other losses. To learn if your injury or the death of a loved one was preventable, contact an attorney to discuss your claim.
