Cleveland, Ohio Medical Malpractice Blog | Lancione & Lancione, PLL tag:www.lancionelaw.com,2009-12-03:/blog/1921 2012-05-15T13:14:23Z Movable Type Enterprise 4.32-en Simple Device Could Help Prevent Birth Injuries tag:www.lancionelaw.com,2012:/blog//1921.246705 2012-05-16T12:11:18Z 2012-05-15T13:14:23Z Babies born prematurely face an uphill battle. Many premature babies spend weeks in an intensive care unit to ensure that their bodies have developed enough to allow them to survive on their own. Unfortunately, premature babies who do not receive... Lancione & Lancione, PLL http://www.lancionelaw.com/mt-bin/mt-cp.cgi?__mode=view&blog_id=1921&id=2042 Babies born prematurely face an uphill battle. Many premature babies spend weeks in an intensive care unit to ensure that their bodies have developed enough to allow them to survive on their own. Unfortunately, premature babies who do not receive proper treatment in an intensive care unit can die or suffer serious injury, including lung problems and cerebral palsy.

A study recently published in the British medical journal Lancet, however, suggests that a simple device - a pessary - can delay birth in mothers at high risk for premature birth long enough to allow their babies a greater chance at survival. A pessary is a small silicon collar place around the neck of the cervix.

]]> The major benefit of using a pessary is cost: they typically cost around $50 each and, if demand were greater, they could be manufactured for even lower prices. Properly placing a pessary requires ultrasound equipment, but this equipment is readily available in most hospitals and clinics around the world.

It is unclear how pessaries work. They have, however, been used for centuries in various forms.

Contact a Medical Malpractice Attorney

If you or someone you love has suffered an injury due to the negligence of a physician or other medical professional, contact an experienced medical malpractice attorney. A knowledgeable medical malpractice lawyer can assess your case and help you get the compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering you deserve. For more information, contact an attorney today.

Source: New York Times, "Simple Device Helps Delay Birth to Lift Babies' Chances of Survival ," Donald G. McNeil, Jr.

]]> Jury Awards Mother $78.5 Million in Birth Injury Case tag:www.lancionelaw.com,2012:/blog//1921.245419 2012-05-09T12:46:45Z 2012-05-11T16:50:30Z A jury in Philadelphia recently awarded a mother $78.5 million after faulty diagnostic procedures at a local hospital left her son suffering from cerebral palsy. In August 2008, 34-year-old Victoria Upsey arrived at the hospital with symptoms of complications that... Lancione & Lancione, PLL http://www.lancionelaw.com/mt-bin/mt-cp.cgi?__mode=view&blog_id=1921&id=2042 A jury in Philadelphia recently awarded a mother $78.5 million after faulty diagnostic procedures at a local hospital left her son suffering from cerebral palsy.

In August 2008, 34-year-old Victoria Upsey arrived at the hospital with symptoms of complications that indicated her unborn son was being deprived of oxygen. A physician at the hospital examined her and determined that her baby had already died. After a second ultrasound, however, doctors detected a fetal heartbeat and performed an emergency caesarian section. At trial, experts testified that Upsey's son would likely have avoided injury if doctors had immediately initiated delivery.

]]> In this case, the jury found that the doctor who initially examined Upsey was not responsible. Rather, the hospital was responsible for the child's injuries. The hospital not only lacked a properly trained ultrasound technician, but nothing but old, unreliable ultrasound equipment available.

The verdict includes payment for the child's future medical expenses, lost future earnings, pain and suffering, and emotional distress to Upsey, who is a single mother.

Contact a Medical Malpractice Attorney

If you or someone you love has suffered an injury due to the negligence of a physician or other medical personnel, contact an experienced medical malpractice attorney. A medical malpractice lawyer can assess your case and help you get the compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering you deserve. For more information, contact an attorney today.

Source: Philly.com, "Phila. jury awards $78.5M in medical malpractice case," Chris Mondics.

]]> Emergency Room Oversight May Have Cost Woman Her Life tag:www.lancionelaw.com,2012:/blog//1921.238078 2012-05-02T12:58:34Z 2012-04-26T20:05:36Z It may seem unlikely, but simple injuries can lead to severe, life-threatening conditions. Physicians - particularly those who specialize in emergency medicine - are trained to recognize and address situations that could lead to bigger problems. Unfortunately, medical professionals make... Lancione & Lancione, PLL http://www.lancionelaw.com/mt-bin/mt-cp.cgi?__mode=view&blog_id=1921&id=2042 It may seem unlikely, but simple injuries can lead to severe, life-threatening conditions. Physicians - particularly those who specialize in emergency medicine - are trained to recognize and address situations that could lead to bigger problems. Unfortunately, medical professionals make mistakes and, when they do, these mistakes can lead to claims for emergency room negligence.

Small Injury, Big Problems

A hospital in Saint Louis, Missouri is currently battling allegations that its emergency room physicians improperly treated a homeless woman who came to the hospital seeking treatment for a sprained ankle in September of last year. 29-year-old Anna Brown had visited three other emergency rooms complaining of leg pain in the days leading up to her death. When she finally visited the emergency room at St. Mary's Health Center, the pain was unbearable. Physicians performed several tests on Brown and insisted that she had a simple sprained ankle. Brown refused to leave the emergency room without further treatment and the hospital had her arrested. She later died in a jail cell.

]]> An autopsy determined that Brown died after blood clots that had formed in her legs migrated to her lungs. St. Mary's Health Center insists that its physicians performed all necessary tests, but questions remain. Most importantly, would doctors have been able to save Brown's life had they not ignored her continued pleas for help?

Contact a Medical Malpractice Attorney

If you or someone you love has suffered injury due to the negligence of an emergency room physician or other medical professional, contact an experienced medical malpractice attorney. A medical malpractice lawyer can assess your case and help you get the fair and adequate compensation you deserve for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. For more information, contact an attorney today.

Source: MSNBC.com, "Hospital: Mom booted from ER who died in jail was treated appropriately."

]]> Hospital Negligence Leads to $22 Million Judgment tag:www.lancionelaw.com,2012:/blog//1921.236839 2012-04-25T18:50:57Z 2012-04-25T18:55:45Z A jury in California recently found a hospital responsible after an unnecessary procedure left a woman paralyzed. The victim received a record $22 million medical malpractice award. Robyn Frankel went to the hospital on October 20, 2006 for an angiogram.... Lancione & Lancione, PLL http://www.lancionelaw.com/mt-bin/mt-cp.cgi?__mode=view&blog_id=1921&id=2042 A jury in California recently found a hospital responsible after an unnecessary procedure left a woman paralyzed. The victim received a record $22 million medical malpractice award.

Robyn Frankel went to the hospital on October 20, 2006 for an angiogram. She had long suffered from migraine headaches and doctors believed that an abnormality in the veins of her brain were responsible. When doctors injected Frankel with dye for the angiogram, she suffered a vasospasm and fell into a coma. When she awoke weeks later, she was paralyzed. Frankel is now confined to a wheelchair and requires around-the-clock nursing care.

Though the award is likely to be reduced, it will likely remain substantial. The jury awarded Frankel $16 million for past and future economic losses and $6 million for pain and suffering. California law requires that the pain and suffering portion of the award be reduced to $250,000.

]]> Many will see the size of the award as an attempt to punish the hospital, but this is not the case. The award that Frankel received is enough to allow her to meet her needs. Because she is paralyzed, she will face real challenges - both medical and financial - for the rest of her life. No matter how small or routine the medical procedure, there is the potential for serious, life-changing injuries.

Contact a Medical Malpractice Attorney

If you or someone you love has suffered injury due to the negligence of a physician or other medical professional, contact an experienced medical malpractice attorney. A medical malpractice lawyer can assess your case and help you get the fair and adequate compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering you deserve. For more information, contact an attorney today.

Source: MercuryNews.com, "Menlo Park woman receives $22 million medical malpractice verdict," Jason Green.

]]> Nation Suffering from Epidemic of Preventable Medical Mistakes tag:www.lancionelaw.com,2012:/blog//1921.234657 2012-04-18T12:28:19Z 2012-04-20T14:31:26Z When people are seriously ill, they seek treatment at a hospital to get well. Although physicians and other hospital staff are capable of amazing things, they are equally capable of making simple mistakes. Unfortunately, when a doctor makes a simple... Lancione & Lancione, PLL http://www.lancionelaw.com/mt-bin/mt-cp.cgi?__mode=view&blog_id=1921&id=2042 When people are seriously ill, they seek treatment at a hospital to get well. Although physicians and other hospital staff are capable of amazing things, they are equally capable of making simple mistakes. Unfortunately, when a doctor makes a simple medical error, the consequences can be life threatening.

According to the seminal 1999 study, "To Err Is Human," as many as 100,000 Americans die each year due to preventable medical mistakes. What is worse, more recent studies indicate that this may only be the tip of the ice burg: in January of this year, a report on Medicare patients found that hospital staff did not report 86 percent of harms done to patients. As the study pointed out, if hospitals cannot track medical mistakes accurately, there is little hope that they can prevent them effectively.

]]> Part of the problem with medical errors is the complexity of the practice of medicine. No matter what the mistake - whether a surgeon nicks a blood vessel, a nurse administers an incorrect dosage of medication, or a staff member inadequately sanitizes a bathroom - there is a genuine danger of severe injury to patients.

Advocacy groups are working with hospitals and medical professionals to make hospitals safer, but these efforts have limits. Indeed, no matter what safety protocols are implemented, mistakes will continue to happen.

A Medical Malpractice Attorney Can Help

If you or someone you love has suffered injury due to the negligence of a physician or other medical personnel, contact an experienced medical malpractice attorney. A medical malpractice lawyer can assess your case and help you get the compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering you deserve. For more information, contact an attorney today.

]]> Hospital Settles with Family of Deceased Infant tag:www.lancionelaw.com,2012:/blog//1921.230627 2012-04-11T12:27:40Z 2012-04-13T17:43:05Z A hospital in Illinois has settled for $8.3 million with the family of an infant boy who died after he was given too much sodium through an intravenous tube. The boy, who was born four months prematurely, was only about... Lancione & Lancione, PLL http://www.lancionelaw.com/mt-bin/mt-cp.cgi?__mode=view&blog_id=1921&id=2042 A hospital in Illinois has settled for $8.3 million with the family of an infant boy who died after he was given too much sodium through an intravenous tube. The boy, who was born four months prematurely, was only about 40 days old when he died in 2010.

A hospital investigation determined that the dosage of sodium for the IV bag that killed the child had been incorrectly entered into the machine that mixed the solution. A simple data entry error caused a child to die far before his time.

Unfortunately, these sorts of medication errors are not uncommon. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), adverse drug events - injuries stemming from the use of medications - account for approximately 700,000 visits to hospital emergency rooms each year. Sadly, many of these sorts of accidents are preventable.

]]> Though hospitals and health care providers have been working to implement strategies to prevent medication errors, no system is foolproof.

Contact a Medical Malpractice Attorney

If you or someone you love has suffered serious injury due to the negligence of a physician or other medical personnel, contact an experienced medical malpractice attorney. A medical malpractice lawyer can assess your case and help you get the compensation you deserve for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. For more information, contact an attorney today.

]]> Mother Files Suit After Child Injured During Delivery tag:www.lancionelaw.com,2012:/blog//1921.226449 2012-04-03T12:31:01Z 2012-04-05T15:33:22Z Expecting mothers depend on hospital staff to ensure that their babies are born happy and healthy. Unfortunately, physicians, nurses and other staff make mistakes and those mistakes can cause serious birth injuries. Three years ago, 37-year-old Sarah Hutchins gave birth... Lancione & Lancione, PLL http://www.lancionelaw.com/mt-bin/mt-cp.cgi?__mode=view&blog_id=1921&id=2042 Expecting mothers depend on hospital staff to ensure that their babies are born happy and healthy. Unfortunately, physicians, nurses and other staff make mistakes and those mistakes can cause serious birth injuries.

Three years ago, 37-year-old Sarah Hutchins gave birth to her son, Blake. Sarah was 37 weeks pregnant when she became concerned that her baby had stopped moving and that something was wrong. Upon examination, a doctor discovered that the baby was, indeed, in distress and recommended that labor be induced. Unfortunately, hospital staff did not act quickly enough and Blake's brain was denied oxygen. Today, Blake suffers from severe developmental problems, including reduced cognitive capacity.

]]> Perhaps most surprising is that Ms. Hutchinson only discovered that Blake had been denied oxygen before birth because she consulted with an independent physician. No one at the hospital ever told her what the examining doctor found before she gave birth. Of course, the hospital claims that Ms. Hutchinson was a high-risk mother because of her age and her previous smoking habit.

Contact a Medical Malpractice Attorney

If you or someone you love has suffered an injury due to the negligence of a physician or other medical professional, contact an experienced medical malpractice attorney. A medical malpractice lawyer can assess your case and help you get the compensation you deserve for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. For more information, contact an attorney today.

]]> New Study Demonstrates the Importance of Breast Cancer Screening Programs tag:www.lancionelaw.com,2012:/blog//1921.221634 2012-03-27T14:52:52Z 2012-03-27T14:54:18Z A recently published study by Dutch researchers indicates that population-based mammography programs lead to earlier cancer diagnoses and save lives. Indeed, despite arguments against mammography programs, researchers believe they are key to avoiding delayed breast cancer diagnoses and misdiagnoses. Critics... Lancione & Lancione, PLL http://www.lancionelaw.com/mt-bin/mt-cp.cgi?__mode=view&blog_id=1921&id=2042 A recently published study by Dutch researchers indicates that population-based mammography programs lead to earlier cancer diagnoses and save lives. Indeed, despite arguments against mammography programs, researchers believe they are key to avoiding delayed breast cancer diagnoses and misdiagnoses.

Critics of breast cancer screening programs argue that they subject many patients to unnecessary testing, over treatment and worry, all for little effect: modern treatments for breast cancer are so effective that the chances of surviving it are as high as if the condition were detected early in a screening program. Dutch researchers discovered, however, that screening patients for breast cancer every two years reduced deaths significantly: when combined with adjuvant therapy - usually chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, radiation therapy, or drug therapy - screening programs reduced the incidence of death from breast cancer by 27.4 percent.

]]> Thanks to modern treatment techniques, a diagnosis of breast cancer is no longer a death sentence. No matter the treatment, however, avoiding a delayed diagnosis is still key to ensuring a patient's chances for a positive prognosis.

A Medical Malpractice Attorney Can Help

If you or someone you love has suffered injury due to a delayed cancer diagnosis or the negligent actions of a physician, contact an experienced medical malpractice attorney. A knowledgeable medical malpractice lawyer can assess your case and help you get the compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering you deserve. For more information, contact an attorney today.

]]> New Device Aims to Prevent Surgical Errors tag:www.lancionelaw.com,2012:/blog//1921.217689 2012-03-19T15:42:23Z 2012-03-19T15:47:00Z When a patient is at his most vulnerable, the skilled hands of a surgeon can mean the difference between life and death. Unfortunately, surgeons can make mistakes. Indeed, surgical errors are much more common than many people believe: according to... Lancione & Lancione, PLL http://www.lancionelaw.com/mt-bin/mt-cp.cgi?__mode=view&blog_id=1921&id=2042 When a patient is at his most vulnerable, the skilled hands of a surgeon can mean the difference between life and death. Unfortunately, surgeons can make mistakes. Indeed, surgical errors are much more common than many people believe: according to a study recently published in the Archives of Surgery, between five and 10 surgical errors occur each day in the United States, some with devastating effects.

What is worse, many surgical errors are simply a result of inattention. For example, during a complicated operation, it is easy to lose count of the number of sponges a surgeon has used, a simple error that can cause a surgical team to leave foreign objects inside a patient.

]]> To help prevent these sorts of errors, researchers at the Mayo Clinic have begun studying the use of a simple scanning device - not unlike those at the checkout lanes of grocery stores - to keep track of sponges used during surgery. A new technology called Surgi-Count scans a bar code attached to each sponge, which allows the surgical team to keep an accurate count of the sponges used during surgery. The hope is that these easy-to-use machines will act as a second set of eyes that will help reduce the risk of injury to patients.

A Medical Malpractice Attorney Can Help

If you or someone you love has suffered injury due to the negligence of a physician or other medical professional, contact an experienced medical malpractice attorney. A knowledgeable medical malpractice lawyer can assess your case and help you get the compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering you deserve. For more information, contact an attorney today.

Source: KEYC.com, "New Scanning Device Helps Eliminate Surgical Error," Brittany Larson.

]]> Debate About Colorectal Cancer Screenings Intensifies tag:www.lancionelaw.com,2012:/blog//1921.214718 2012-03-13T12:22:34Z 2012-03-13T17:30:55Z Though universally dreaded, most physicians agree that colonoscopies are the best way to screen patients for colon cancer. Some medical professionals now suggest, however, that other, less invasive tests could be used just as effectively to detect and prevent colorectal... Lancione & Lancione, PLL http://www.lancionelaw.com/mt-bin/mt-cp.cgi?__mode=view&blog_id=1921&id=2042 Though universally dreaded, most physicians agree that colonoscopies are the best way to screen patients for colon cancer. Some medical professionals now suggest, however, that other, less invasive tests could be used just as effectively to detect and prevent colorectal cancer.

Proponents of testing methods such as the fecal immunochemical test (FIT) contend that cheaper, less invasive options would assure that more patients would get screened for cancer of the colon and rectum. The problem is pressing: colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer diagnosis for men and women and the second leading cause of cancer deaths. Despite the risk, surveys indicate that approximately one third of Americans between the ages of 50 and 70 have never had any form of screening for the disease.

Determining which tests to use is essential to help avoid a delayed cancer diagnosis, which can lead to costly chemotherapy treatments, invasive surgery, and even reduced life expectancy.

]]> Contact an Attorney

Unfortunately, no matter what tests are available, physicians sometimes fail to diagnose cancer correctly or even mistake it for another health problem. If you or someone you love has suffered injury due to the negligence of a physician or other medical professional, contact an experienced medical malpractice attorney. A medical malpractice lawyer can assess your case and help you get the compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering you deserve. For more information, contact an attorney today.

Source: San Francisco Chronicle, "Debate grows over colorectal cancer screenings," Victoria Colliver.

]]> Children Receive Breast Cancer Drug in Pharmacy Mix-Up tag:www.lancionelaw.com,2012:/blog//1921.211346 2012-03-05T18:04:23Z 2012-03-05T18:07:11Z A New Jersey CVS pharmacy announced recently that it had mixed up children's fluoride tablets with tamoxifen, a drug for breast cancer patients. The tablets for both drugs are round, white, and roughly similar in size. Local reports estimate that... Lancione & Lancione, PLL http://www.lancionelaw.com/mt-bin/mt-cp.cgi?__mode=view&blog_id=1921&id=2042 A New Jersey CVS pharmacy announced recently that it had mixed up children's fluoride tablets with tamoxifen, a drug for breast cancer patients. The tablets for both drugs are round, white, and roughly similar in size. Local reports estimate that dozens of families could be affected by the news.

Though the children who took tamoxifen are not likely to experience any serious health problems, this event demonstrates that the dangers of pharmacy errors are very real. Many pharmacies rely on non-pharmacists to help fill prescriptions, which increases the chance of errors. But even a trained pharmacist can make mistakes: though many brand-name pharmaceuticals are easy to identify by their unique colors and shapes, many generic drugs have the same sizes, shapes, and colors.

]]> Medication errors such as this can potentially have deadly consequences. An incorrect drug may interact adversely with a patient's other medications or cause a serious allergic reaction. Physicians and pharmacists alike must do all they can to prevent the occurrence of these sorts of mistakes.

A Medical Malpractice Attorney Can Help

If you or someone you love has suffered severe injury due to the negligence of a physician or other medical professional, contact an experienced medical malpractice attorney. A knowledgeable medical malpractice lawyer can assess your case and help you get the compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering you deserve. For more information, contact an attorney today.

Source: Foxnews.com, "New Jersey CVS store mixes up child drug with breast cancer pill."

]]> Not All Heart Attacks Cause Chest Pain tag:www.lancionelaw.com,2012:/blog//1921.208028 2012-02-27T17:47:17Z 2012-02-27T17:53:25Z Chest pain has long been regarded by doctors and laypeople alike as a telltale sign of a heart attack. However, according to a study published recently in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), many patients who are taken... Lancione & Lancione, PLL http://www.lancionelaw.com/mt-bin/mt-cp.cgi?__mode=view&blog_id=1921&id=2042 Chest pain has long been regarded by doctors and laypeople alike as a telltale sign of a heart attack. However, according to a study published recently in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), many patients who are taken to the hospital for heart attacks never experience chest pain. The study raises the possibility that heart attack misdiagnosis is more common than once believed.

The study, authored by Dr. John G. Canto at the Lakeland Regional Medical Center in Florida, found that women were less likely to experience chest pain during a heart attack than men. Out of 1.1 million people surveyed, 42 percent of women admitted to hospitals for heart attacks never experienced chest pain. Just over 30 percent of men surveyed did not experience chest pain. Women were also more likely to die from a heart attack: the mortality rate for women surveyed was 15 percent, compared to only 10 percent for men.

]]> According to Dr. Canto, one of the reasons that women suffer a higher mortality rate than men is because they present more often with less classic symptoms of heart attack than men. Unfortunately, doctors may not realize what the problem is until it is too late.

An Attorney Can Help

If you or someone you love has suffered injury because of the negligence of a physician, contact an experienced medical malpractice attorney. A knowledgeable medical malpractice lawyer can assess your case and help you get the compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering you deserve. For more information, contact an attorney today.

Source: New York Times, "Many Heart Attacks Don't Cause Chest Pain," Anahad O'Connor.

]]> Alcoholism May Be a Problem Among Surgeons tag:www.lancionelaw.com,2012:/blog//1921.206816 2012-02-24T13:44:31Z 2012-02-23T19:51:03Z People depend on surgeons to perform essential - and in many cases life-saving - procedures. Unfortunately, a new study indicates that patients may want to think twice about trusting their lives to some surgeons. According to a new survey conducted... Lancione & Lancione, PLL http://www.lancionelaw.com/mt-bin/mt-cp.cgi?__mode=view&blog_id=1921&id=2042 People depend on surgeons to perform essential - and in many cases life-saving - procedures. Unfortunately, a new study indicates that patients may want to think twice about trusting their lives to some surgeons.

According to a new survey conducted by Dr. Michael Oreskovich at the University of Washington, approximately 15 percent of surgeons have alcohol abuse or dependency problems. While 15 percent may not seem high at first glance, it is a slightly higher rate than the population of the U.S. at large, which is estimated to be nine percent. The study did not speculate why alcohol abuse and dependency is so prevalent among surgeons, but it does raise the possibility that these issues may be a cause of surgical errors.

]]> Link to Errors Possible

Of the surgeons surveyed by Oreskovich, 722 reported that they had made a major medical error in the past three months. Of those 722, 77 percent scored within the rage specified by the study as having a problem with alcohol.

Critics of the study point out that while Oreskovich sent the survey to 25,000 surgeons, only 7,200 replied. Because of this low response rate, the implications of the study remain unclear. Oreskovich points out that the study may even under-represent the number of surgeons with alcohol problems because those dealing with dependency may be afraid to respond to these types of surveys. Everyone agrees, however, that further research is necessary.

An Attorney Can Help

If you or someone you love has suffered injury because of the negligence of a surgeon, contact an experienced medical malpractice attorney. A medical malpractice lawyer can assess your case and help you get the compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering you deserve. For more information, contact an attorney today.

Source: Reuters, "Alcoholism not uncommon among surgeons," Kerry Grens.

]]> Has the Medical Board Disciplined Your Doctor? tag:www.lancionelaw.com,2012:/blog//1921.205139 2012-02-21T13:24:24Z 2012-02-21T15:34:02Z In 2011, the State Medical Board of Ohio disciplined 157 physicians licensed to practice medicine in the state. The board permanently revoked the licenses of 22 doctors, suspended 52 and put 38 on probation. Doctors of all specialties faced discipline... Lancione & Lancione, PLL http://www.lancionelaw.com/mt-bin/mt-cp.cgi?__mode=view&blog_id=1921&id=2042 In 2011, the State Medical Board of Ohio disciplined 157 physicians licensed to practice medicine in the state. The board permanently revoked the licenses of 22 doctors, suspended 52 and put 38 on probation. Doctors of all specialties faced discipline for possibe negligent medical treatment, including obstetricians, anesthesiologists, pediatricians, and surgeons.

The medical board can discipline doctors for a number of reasons, including:

  • Failure to use reasonable care in treating patients
  • Inappropriately prescribing drugs
  • Failure to meet continuing medical education requirements
  • Conviction of a felony
  • Impaired ability to practice medicine due to illness or alcohol or drug abuse
]]> Finding out whether your doctor has been disciplined by the State Medical Board of Ohio is easier than you might think. When a doctor has been punished by the board, the board publishes information about the case on its website. The site provides detailed information about what action the board decided to take and why.

Choosing the right physician is extremely important. Learning as much as possible about whether your doctor has faced discipline from the State Medical Board is key to staying safe and healthy.

An Attorney Can Help

If you or someone you love has suffered an injury due to physician negligence, contact an experienced medical malpractice attorney. A medical malpractice lawyer can assess your case and help you get the compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering you deserve. For more information, contact a medical malpractice attorney today.

]]> ACP Seeks to Address Excessive Medical Testing tag:www.lancionelaw.com,2012:/blog//1921.203327 2012-02-17T13:18:34Z 2012-02-17T15:21:24Z The American College of Physicians (ACP) recently announced plans to establish guidelines meant to address excessive medical testing, a practice that not only drives up the cost of medical care, but also puts patients at risk of serious injury. In... Lancione & Lancione, PLL http://www.lancionelaw.com/mt-bin/mt-cp.cgi?__mode=view&blog_id=1921&id=2042 The American College of Physicians (ACP) recently announced plans to establish guidelines meant to address excessive medical testing, a practice that not only drives up the cost of medical care, but also puts patients at risk of serious injury. In fact, performing too many tests may constitute negligent medical treatment.

According to the ACP, excessive testing - including the overuse of imaging studies, CT scans, electrocardiograms and other tests - costs between $200 and $250 billion each year. What is worse, the ACP identified at least 37 clinical situations where excessive testing may actually hurt patients. The ACP cited the example of coronary angiography - a test that involves injecting a patient with a special contrast agent and using X-rays to see the structure of the heart's arteries - as a test that may cause more trouble for patients than it is worth, particularly when the procedure is used on low risk patients.

]]> At first glance, attempts to reduce the number of tests patients undergo seem uncontroversial: why would physicians object to guidelines that allow them to address their patients' concerns more efficiently? Of course, other factors are at play. In many cases, physicians favor performing more complex, more invasive procedures because it allows them to charge patients more for their treatment. In addition, some physicians cite legal concerns as a reason for performing more tests than may be necessary.

Contact a Medical Malpractice Attorney

If you or someone you love has suffered injury due to the negligence of a physician or other medical professional, contact an experienced medical malpractice attorney. A medical malpractice lawyer can assess your case and help you get the compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering you deserve. For more information, contact an attorney today.

Source: Huffington Post, "American College Of Physicians Tackles Issue Of Excessive Medical Testing," Debra Sherman.

]]>