Baltimore Medical Malpractice Lawyers: Overlapping Surgeries
September 27, 2016When a patient is told that he or she needs surgery, it is natural to feel concerned, stressed, and worried. It is up to the surgeon to calm these fears by addressing the patient’s concerns, answering their questions, and letting them know that they will be completely focused on their surgery for the duration of the procedure. Unfortunately, this does not always happen. Unfortunately, overlapping surgeries are becoming a standard practice in hospitals.
An investigation of 47 hospitals nationwide, with a focus on one world-renowned hospital in Massachusetts, found that double-booked surgery is a disturbingly common practice. In an effort to address this issue, the American College of Surgeons (ACS) released new guidelines instructing surgeons to inform their patients if there is likely to be an overlapping procedure. According to the ACS, these overlapping surgeries should not be taking place at all, and are considered to be extremely inappropriate.
While the guidelines are a step in the right direction, they are not legally binding, which means that, once they have been put under anesthesia, the patient has no way of knowing who is operating on them. Instances of overlapping surgeries have led to numerous surgical errors resulting in medical malpractice lawsuits.
According to the Massachusetts investigation, more than 44 medical issues arose as a result of overlapping surgeries between 2005 and 2015. In one specific case, a 45-year-old man filed a medical malpractice lawsuit after he was left paralyzed after a spinal surgery. The doctor performing the surgery was allegedly performing another surgery at the time of the patient’s spinal surgery. The research also showed incidents of surgeons failing to show up for operations, leaving residents responsible for their surgeries, and incidents involving surgeons leaving one procedure to attend to another medical emergency.
Baltimore Medical Malpractice Lawyers at LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton Advocate for Victims of Overlapping Surgeries
If you have been injured during a surgical procedure, contact the dedicated, experienced Baltimore medical malpractice lawyers at LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton as soon as possible. If your health and safety were compromised in any way, we will pursue the maximum financial compensation you deserve and hold the surgeon accountable for his or her actions. For 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.