Good dental hygiene starts with regular visits to the dentist. This usually involves a thorough cleaning, x-rays, and a check-up with the dentist. However, this routine visit can cause potentially serious complications if the dental tools are not properly sterilized. Unfortunately, this is what happened in several dental clinics in Philadelphia and Washington state. Thousands » Read More

Colon cancer generally affects patients who are over the age of 50, unless there is a family history of the disease, or the patient is African American or a native of Alaska. For years, the American Cancer Society’s colorectal cancer screening guidelines recommended that patients begin screening for the disease at the age of 50. » Read More

Physicians who have medical malpractice claims against them often try to save their reputation by starting fresh in a new practice. While the common assumption is that they relocate to a new state to leave their tarnished reputation behind, they are more likely to stay put and either join a smaller practice or start a » Read More

High-tech surgical robots are one of the latest advances in medicine that surgeons are using to treat patients with certain types of cancer, including breast and prostate cancer. However, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), these robots are not necessarily an improvement from traditional operations. In fact, for some patients, the device may » Read More

Just as quickly as urgent care centers are popping up across the country, so are the number of medical malpractice lawsuits being filed against these medical facilities. The typical long wait and high costs associated with visiting a hospital emergency room have enticed many people to visit urgent care centers for emergency treatment. Unfortunately, urgent » Read More

Imagine how you might feel if you found out that your healthcare provider performed a pelvic exam, without your consent, while you were unconscious or under anesthesia. As disturbing as this may sound, this is legal in 45 states, including Maryland. Physicians are not required to obtain consent from patients to perform certain exams on » Read More

According to a recent study conducted by researchers at Johns Hopkins University, medical errors occur more frequently than you might think. In fact, medical errors are responsible for roughly 10 percent of all fatalities in this country, which translates to approximately 250,000 medical malpractice-related fatalities each year. Thousands more suffer serious injuries that require costly » Read More

As patients, we put our trust in the hands of the physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals who are responsible for our care. Because of that trust, we sometimes forget that doctors are human, and can make mistakes. Unfortunately, depending on the nature of the mistake, they can have fatal consequences. According to a study » Read More

When unexpected complications arise during the childbirth process, the healthcare professional in charge may recommend a C-section to protect the health of the mother and the unborn baby. C-sections can be life-saving procedures, but they should only be performed when they are medically necessary. In the state of Maryland, 35 percent of all babies are » Read More

Hospitals are constantly looking for new and innovative ways to reduce costs while improving the quality of patient care. Value-based incentive programs (VBIPs) have been used to improve quality and reduce costs by providing financial rewards to hospitals who demonstrate proven improvements, and penalties to those who do not. However, a recent study by the » Read More