Posted on 24th March 2010 by admin in Uncategorized
accidental overdose, medical malpractice
The drug, Herparin, is regularly used as a blood thinning agent in operations, heart attack and stroke victims and in this case, to prevent catheters from clotting.
New born twins of actor Dennis Quaid and his wife, Kimberly Buffington, were being kept in hospital for observation, following their birth in November 2007. The two little babies had catheters fitted, probably to allow regular blood sampling. It is normal procedure to give the patient the blood-thinning drug to prevent blood clots forming in the catheter and causing a blockage.
However, instead of the usual ten units per millimeter, the twins were administered with a dose around a thousand times more than that. This massive over dose could have had serious and life threatening consequences. Luckily the babies suffered no long term effects and the error was said to be caused by a labelling design as the adult and child products looked very similar. The Quaid family sued the manufacturers and settled for $750,000.
However, in an earlier incident the newborn babies were not as lucky. At a hospital in Indianapolis, six newborn babies received an accidental overdose of Heparin, resulting in three of the babies dying. The nurse had apparently administered the adult form of the drug and not the child version after the technician had filled the cabinet with the wrong vials by mistake.
In July 2008, a set of twins born in a hospital in Texas died after an overdose of the blood-thinning drug. However, the mistake was found to be due to a mixing error when the drugs were made up in the hospital pharmacy.
If you or a member of your family has suffered as a result of an accidental overdose while under the care of a doctor or hospital you maybe eligible for compensation through a claim for medical malpractice. This article is not intended to replace legal advice.
Further Legal Resources: The medical malpractice web pages of The Barber Law Firm in Dallas, Texas.
Posted on 23rd February 2010 by admin in Uncategorized
medical malpractice, medical malpractice attorney, surgery injury
Medical malpractice is often associated with high-risk procedures such as surgery, but they can occur even in the most routine of tasks. This isn’t to say they aren’t avoidable; in fact, most cases could easily have been prevented with an extra pinch of care. And while it’s the doctor doing the risky work, patients can play an active role in preventing medical errors and ensuring a safe patient-doctor relationship.
Patient involvement
A patient should consider himself part of his own healthcare team. Rather than passively receiving treatment, one should be actively involved in every decision from which tests are done to whether or not to opt for surgery. The Internet offers a wealth of medical information that can help patients stay informed and have more educated discussions with their doctors.
Information consistency
Doctors make their decisions based on what they know about their patients. It is therefore one’s responsibility to make sure the doctor knows all the relevant medical history, including previous conditions, allergies, medicines taken, and treatments received. When changing doctors, bringing all previous notes, records, and prescriptions can help keep the new doctor up to date.
Medicine verification
Since there is rarely direct contact between the doctor and the pharmacist, errors in communication are fairly common. Research from the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Sciences showed that 88% of medication-related cases involved prescribing the wrong drug or giving the wrong dose. Patients should always verify their medicines at the counter and make sure the dosage instructions are clear.
Hospital choice
A patient undergoing a delicate procedure, such as surgery, should have as much choice at possible when it comes to hospitals and practitioners. Studies show that such procedures yield better results when patients are better informed. Patients can do their own research and find out which institutions provide the best care, or insist on having the procedure done by a doctor already familiar with their condition.
Clear instructions
A good percentage of medical errors also arise from a misunderstanding of doctor’s orders. If possible, instructions should be obtained both verbally and in writing, both by the patient and the people providing care at home. Patients should read prescriptions right away and have the doctor explain any vague statements, particularly regarding administration and dosage.
This article is not intended as legal advice.
Additional legal resource: Texas Medical Malpractice Attorney Kris Barber, The Barber Law Firm. Serving clients in Dallas, Texas.
