Though electronic health records have the ability to warn users about adverse drug interactions, allergic reactions and other events stemming from medication errors, the fact is that they still miss a sizeable number of these errors. Residents of West Virginia should...
Medical Malpractice
Medical malpractice claims for breast cancer
Breast cancer is most common among women, but it can affect men as well. Just as is the case with women, when men get breast cancer, it begins when breast tissue begins to grow out of control. The cancer cells most often develop into a tumor that can be felt as a lump...
Study examines likelihood of misdiagnosis for various conditions
People in West Virginia who have heart conditions, serious infections or cancer might have a higher likelihood of being misdiagnosed than people with some other conditions. A study by the data analytics firm CRICO Strategies and Johns Hopkins University School of...
Frequency of POTS misdiagnoses can be alarming
A blood-flow disorder called postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome is the subject of many diagnostic errors, according to various studies. One says that the average POTS patient sees seven doctors in four years before getting a POTS diagnosis. Another says that...
Parkinson’s disease often goes misdiagnosed
Parkinson's disease seriously affects many people in West Virginia, and early detection and treatment can make a real difference in outcomes. However, according to one study conducted by a Parkinson's charity, over 25% of people with the disease were initially...
Preventing errors involving high-risk medications
Some 7 million people in West Virginia and across the U.S. fall victim to preventable medication errors every year. Worldwide, 2% to 5% of all hospital admissions are due to these types of errors, and of those patients, 30% suffer medication-related harm and 7% suffer...
The basics of a medical malpractice claim
Our readers in West Virginia and Eastern Kentucky may know already that medical malpractice claims are notoriously difficult to pursue. But, that doesn't mean that such claims shouldn't be aggressively pursued when a victim's life has been turned upside down by the...
When does a mistake constitute medical malpractice?
We trust that due to their years of experience and professional degrees, that the doctors, surgeons and nurses who are treating us know what they are doing. Unfortunately, there are times where medical professionals make mistakes. It is important for people in West...