Why You Should Be Afraid Of Your Doctor

98,000 patients are killed in hospitals each year according to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences. If it sounds like a lot of people it’s because it is. If you aren’t comforted by this statistic it’s ok- you shouldn’t be. Medical and hospital malpractice lawsuits have grown exponentially in recent years, and for good reason. People are dying at an alarming rate in places where they should be getting better- hospitals. Too often hospitals and hospital staff are under prepared and ill-equipped to handle patients that they claim to be able to assist. Many of these deaths are preventable and the incidents are viable candidates for medical malpractice litigation.

Here we’ll examine some important and alarming numbers regarding medical and hospital malpractice in the United States:

National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB) Studies

191,804: Medical malpractice reports made regarding licensed physicians from 1990-2004.

1,530: Medical malpractice reports filed regarding resident or intern physicians from 1990-2004.

18,999: Medical malpractice payment reports made in 2002 alone.

5.1%: The percent of doctors that account for 54.2 percent of medical malpractice payouts.

7.6%: The percentage of the 35,000 doctors with two or more medical malpractice payouts since 1990 that have been formally disciplined.

13%: The percentage of doctors with five or more medical malpractice payouts that have been formally disciplined.

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Study

3.5%: The percentage of patients that experience adverse medical events during hospital stays.

2: The average number of medical errors per day experienced by ICU patients, translating into a 99% proficiency rating.

20%: The percentage of these errors deemed “serious” or “fatal”.

99%: Proficiency rating of ICU care (better than normal hospital care). If this sounds good, it is not. If this rate of proficiency was applied to the airline and banking sectors, it would translate into 2 dangerous landings per day at O’Hare Airport, and over 30,000 checks deducted from the wrong account per hour. Perspective helps.

Harvard University Study

1: Medical malpractice claim actually made for every 7.6 hospital injuries.

SUNY – Buffalo Study

Med Students at SUNY – Buffalo were asked to recall incidents during their clinical training that caused ethical concern. 200 students responded.

40%: The percentage of instances reported that caused ethical concern and that did pose a significant medical threat to a patient’s life, health, or welfare in the researchers’ opinion.

Know the Facts, Use Your Resources

If you or a loved one is getting ready to undergo a medical procedure, research can turn over malpractice statistics specifically related to your potential hospital or doctor. Look for statistics on risks associated with your surgery. Find out if your potential hospital or doctor has had consistent issues in the past. If so, get a second opinion. Doing diligent research and arming yourself with facts will ensure that you make smart decisions and that you can effectively communicate your concerns to your attorney before your surgery or treatment takes place.