When was the last time you sat in an emergency room? Whether it was last week or last year, chances are that you waited for an hour or more and found yourself irritated, to say the least. While being forced to wait for hours when you don’t feel well is annoying, it is not the biggest problem that you could have in the emergency room.
Emergency rooms across the country are plagued with errors. Some are easily taken care of, and some are deadly. Here are five of the most common errors that occur in the fast-paced hospital ward.
- Diagnostic Errors
Close to 55% of all emergency room errors can be chalked up to diagnostics. Whether it is misjudging symptoms, incorrect diagnosis, or delayed diagnosis, these errors can lead to serious complications with patients. Speak up and ask questions about any tests that are ordered, any diagnosis that are given, and any treatments that are offered.
- Medication Errors
Medication errors happen more often than you may think. You may be given the wrong medication or too little or too much of a medication. Ask for any medications delivered to be thoroughly explained to you. If you are given a prescription, ask what it is for and how the doctor expects it to help you.
- Dumping
Patients are “dumped” from the emergency room for financial reasons. They may not have insurance, have inadequate insurance, or generally have an inability to pay. This is a practice that many don’t like to talk about, but it does happen.
- Delayed Treatment
Most people expect to have a wait when they enter the emergency room. For many, that wait is mildly annoying and nothing more. For others, it delays treatments that could have been potentially life-saving. If your symptoms change while you are waiting or you feel that the medical staff is not taking your symptoms as serious as necessary, don’t be afraid to voice your opinion.
- Improper Medical History
Doctors and nurses are trained to retrieve medical histories from patients. While they cannot be held liable if you have failed to disclose information, they should be probing into your history fairly deeply before diagnosis is made or treatment is offered. Make sure that you share your medical history with any new doctor that is put in charge of your care.
You should feel safe and secure knowing that you are going to be treated properly in an emergency room. If you believe that you were injured or misdiagnosed during your visit to the hospital, our medical malpractice attorneys may be able to assist you. Contact us today for a no-cost evaluation of your case.
