Baltimore Medical Malpractice Lawyers: Making Patient Safety a Priority
November 23, 2016A concerning statistic reveals that medical errors are the third leading cause of death in the United States. According to a study published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), regardless of the official cause of death on a death certificate, other factors can compromise patient safety including poor communication, diagnostic errors, inadequate training, and poor judgment, resulting in serious injury or fatality. Unfortunately, healthcare professionals are not always forthcoming about medical errors. Instead of being honest, and correcting the mistake, they often stay quiet in an effort to avoid liability.
This practice of secrecy can lead to more errors, continuing a pattern that jeopardizes patient safety. In response to this problem, BMJ has developed the following guidelines to help reduce errors before they happen.
- Establish a culture that focuses on preventing harm.
- Create an official patient safety program with clear standard operating procedures and protocols.
- Ensure that all medical professionals are following these standards and protocols. Develop an official corrective action process for those who do not follow the safety standards, or who make a preventable medical error.
- Make patients part of the decision making process so that “Informed Consent” is just that.
- To avoid future risk, make continuous improvements that prevent patient harm and avoid the risk of medical malpractice.
Maryland Medical Malpractice Lawyers at LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton Secure Maximum Compensation for Medical Errors
Medical malpractice lawsuits can be complex and time-consuming, involving a thorough investigation of the events that caused the injury. If you have been seriously injured as a result of a medical error, do not try to face it alone. The Maryland medical malpractice lawyers at LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton will protect your rights every step of the way and work tirelessly to obtain the maximum financial compensation for your injuries. To set up a free consultation, call us today at 800-547-4LAW (4529) or contact us online.
Our offices are located in Baltimore, Columbia, Glen Burnie, and Towson, allowing us to represent clients throughout Maryland, including those in Anne Arundel County, Carroll County, Harford County, Howard County, Montgomery County, Maryland’s Western Counties, Southern Maryland, and the Eastern Shore, as well as the communities of Catonsville, Essex, Halethorpe, Middle River, Rosedale, Gwynn Oak, Brooklandville, Dundalk, Pikesville, Parkville, Nottingham, Windsor Mill, Lutherville, Timonium, Sparrows Point, Ridgewood, and Elkridge.
