Medical Errors–3rd Leading Cause of Death in America

That’s according to Dr. Peter Pronovost, a critical care physician at Johns Hopkins Hospital. In fact, studies found that medical mistakes kill more than a quarter million people each year in this country.
Put another way, that’s five times the number of brave soldiers who lost their life in the Vietnam War. Each year. Millions more get injured from medical mistakes.
Here’s a couple of tips for staying safe in a hospital:
1. Infections kill. Don’t be shy about asking your doctor or nurse to wash their hands before treating you. Many don’t.
2. Confusing your tubes can kill you. If you have a chest and a feeding tube, they often look alike. Make sure your doctor or nurse knows which is which before putting something into one of them.
3. Many times patients have similar names. Before getting a procedure, make sure the doctors and nurses check your wristband and confirm that you’re the one who was supposed to get the treatment.
At Sinclair Law Offices, we work hard to make these doctors and nurses accountable for their mistakes.